Shanshu Fulfilled
by redrider6612
Summary: Post NFA. The PTB have finally restored Angel's humanity. Now he wants to find Buffy, which is made more challenging by the fact that there are decoys scattered all over Europe. What he doesn't know is he isn't the only one looking for her. Now rated M
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who R&R'ed my first B/A fic, 'To Hell and Back'. I was encouraged to try a new B/A fic. This one is set after NFA, should be 3-5 chaps.**

**Shanshu Fulfilled**

It took him a few days to adjust. The last time his humanity had been returned to him, he hadn't really had time to take it all in, to understand what it meant. And this time there were two added bonuses: he had retained his superhuman strength and fast healing, and it was definitely for keeps this time. That had been confirmed with the PTB right off the bat. Word was he'd earned it, fair and square. Of course, Angel suspected Cordy had had a hand in pleading his case to the PTB, because he knew it was just the kind of thing she'd do. He'd have to remember to thank her when he saw her next.

So, what to do? There was a catch, of course. There always was with the PTB. Nothing was ever given without strings, even if it was earned many times over. He was required to continue to be a champion, doing what he could to help keep the balance of good and evil just slightly tipped to the good side. Taking him completely out of the equation would have definitely caused problems in the cosmic scale of things. Didn't matter to him, he'd already planned to continue doing what he could, as long as he got to go after the one thing he'd always wanted.

Buffy. Word had it she was in Italy, heading up the slayer school. He'd also heard she wasn't hanging out with the Immortal any more, since he had taken himself off to Japan six months ago. Angel had been very happy to hear that.

So here he was in Rome. It hadn't been easy finding out where the slayer school was. Broadcasting that bit of info would have been as good as painting a target on it. Lots of big players in the demon community would pay a lot of money to see the slayer school decimated. Angel had had to call in some favors, pay some big bucks to get the location. But it had been worth it.

Standing on the sidewalk outside the nondescript building, Angel took a deep breath. The novelty of breathing still hadn't worn off and he smiled a little as he took another deep breath. His smile faded and he started pacing as a fresh wave of nerves swept over him. Would she be happy to see him? he wondered. Of course she would. How could she not? But what if she's not…cookies yet? he thought, suddenly worried that his timing might be wrong.

A movement across the street caught his eye. His heart started pounding as he saw Buffy walking down the street. He couldn't seem to get his body to obey his brain's urging to go after her until she'd turned the corner. Snapping out of it, he dashed across the street and around the corner, just in time to see her go into an alley between the next two buildings. He jogged to catch up. He didn't want to call out to her, afraid of calling demony attention to her.

Turning into the alley, he caught a flying kick to the stomach and bent with a gasp, followed by an upper cut to the jaw that sent him reeling into the wall. "Buffy," he croaked, figuring she hadn't recognized him. As soon as she knew it was him, she'd stop. He dodged another kick and blocked a roundhouse and then realized something wasn't right. Whenever Buffy was near, he could…feel her. He wasn't feeling anything right now—except winded from that kick she'd landed. He squinted in the gloom. "Buffy?" he queried, only to have to parry another series of blows. Suddenly he knew. It wasn't Buffy, it was a double. But how? Why? he wondered. He caught her leg just before it would have connected with his middle and twisted it, sending her crashing into a stack of pallets. Looked like the only way he was going to get any answers was to subdue his diminutive opponent, which wasn't going to be easy. Apparently she was one of the slayers-in-training, but he knew he could best her. She was no Buffy, who could kick his ass on a good day. Not that he'd ever tell her that.

The Buffy twin jumped nimbly to her feet and assumed a defensive stance, studying him curiously. "Who are you?" she asked breathlessly.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Angel replied, looking at her in the dim light. The resemblance was remarkable, but now that he had the time, he could see subtle differences. "Wanna tell me why and how it is you look like Buffy?"

"I'm the one asking questions, handsome. I'll ask you again, and if I don't like the answer, I'm gonna kick your ass."

"I'm Angel."

The twin snorted and rolled her eyes. "Right, and I'm the next president. I've never met Angel, but I know he's a vamp and you ain't no vamp. My slayer senses would tell me. Try again."

Angel sighed. "The PTB restored my humanity." She wore a blank look that told him she wasn't following. "To fulfill the Shanshu prophesy?" Still with the blankness. "Look, I just need to find Buffy. I heard she was here running the slayer school."

She shrugged, relaxing marginally though she still watched him warily. "She ain't here, buddy. All I know is they cast this glamour spell on me and told me to play decoy to keep the heat off her. Lotta demons wanna see her dead."

"Who's running things?"

"Faith, though Andrew likes to think he's in charge, the weenie. We mostly ignore him," she said. She looked him up and down, considering her next move. "Tell ya what, wait here, I'll get Faith and she can decide if you're for real."

Angel nodded, relieved, and watched her leave. He leaned on the wall in the shadows, trying to control his impatience. Faith would know where Buffy was.

Moments later a shadow fell over the entrance to the alley. Angel straightened from the wall.

"Angel?" Faith asked softly. He stepped out of the shadows and a smile broke over her face.

"Hi," Angel said.

"Well, well, look at you, all human again. It's about time the PTB came through for you." She shoved her hands in her pockets and looked him up and down. "How's it feel?" she asked.

Angel smiled. "Great. It's funny the things I missed. Breathing. The taste of food. Sunshine." His eyes turned serious. "Where's Buffy?"

Faith sighed. "I shoulda known you didn't look me up 'cuz you missed me," she muttered. "She's in Barcelona, last I heard. She has to keep moving around, keep them guessing. The decoys help, but you can't be too careful." She scoped out the area, her eyes sharp. "You weren't followed, were you? I mean, if I wanted to find Buffy, I'd put a tail on you. Any twit would guess the first thing you'd wanna do after having your humanity restored is find her."

Angel looked around too. "I don't think so. My new status didn't exactly make the evening news."

Faith rolled her eyes. "Puleeze! The world's most famous vamp gets all human again and you think it's gonna stay secret? Demon grapevine's better than the AP."

"You didn't know," Angel observed, pleased at that most famous vamp part until he realized he was famous for the wrong reason. Guilt assailed him as thoughts of his past threatened to distract him, but he pushed that all away. There was no time for any of that.

"Yeah, well I tend to slay demons. I don't take time for a cuppa tea and gossip first." She looked him over again. "You look good. I don't suppose you're gonna hang around."

"I need to find Buffy," Angel said somewhat regretfully. He'd like nothing more than to stay and catch up with Faith, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to find Buffy before it was too late. For what, he didn't know, but the urgency was growing.

A wry smile quirked her full red lips. "Figures first thing you'd do is go looking for her now that you two can do the horizontal mambo without any danger of the evil twin fucking things up." Angel smiled and she sighed. "Like I said, she keeps movin' around, but I'm pretty sure Barcelona's where she is now. If it were me, that's where I'd start."

"Thanks, Faith. Take care of yourself, okay?" he said, anxious to get going.

"Sure, Angel, you too. And give my best to B when you find her." With one last look and a cocked smile, she turned away. Angel headed back for his rental car. Hopefully he wouldn't have to wait too long for the next flight to Barcelona.

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**Hey, thanks so much for reading. Now, please click that little blue 'GO' button and tell me what you think, musie loves feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter: flyersfan, shadyrenee, bb4ever, barbmack and rabidreject. You guys rock my world! So, the search continues, bear with me, okay?**

Shanshu Fulfilled

Chapter 2

Barcelona was a bust. A run-in with a decoy there, while irritating, did yield a lead. Word was she was in Berlin.

No such luck. From there he was sent to Budapest, Amsterdam, Paris, Leningrad…and now he was in London. By now he was heartily tired of fighting the Buffy decoys and explaining himself, especially since his story was met with varying degrees of suspicion. And he couldn't shake the sensation that he was being followed. He never actually saw anyone, it was more of a feeling…Buffy would say his spidey senses were tingling. Whoever it was, they were very skilled at surveillance.

It was raining…again. He'd been in London three days and it had rained half the time. Hunching his shoulders, he leaned in a doorway across the street from the pub he'd heard she frequented. He considered going back inside but discarded the thought. He seemed to make the patrons nervous, though he couldn't fathom why.

He straightened as someone approached the front door of the pub. It could be her, she was the right size, and there was something about the way she carried herself. Suddenly his heart started pounding as his spidey sense came to screaming life and he dashed across the street to intercept her.

His prior encounters with the Buffy doubles made him slow his approach. He really wasn't in the mood for another throw-down, so he reached out and touched her sleeve as she reached for the door handle.

"Buffy?" he said softly.

Shoving an elbow into his middle, she spun away from him and landed in a defensive stance. Then she saw who it was and froze.

"Angel?" she said breathlessly with a note of hope in her voice. Relief flooded him. He'd found her at last.

"Hi," he said because he couldn't come up with anything more intelligent to say with her looking at him that way. Her smile made the rain fade and the day brighten.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, relaxing her stance. Her eyes were looking him over as though she was trying to convince herself he was really there.

"I—I had to find you," he said briefly, as though that explained everything. The puzzled look on her face said otherwise, so he rushed to elaborate. "The PTB finally came through. They restored my humanity."

Joy broadened her smile, taking his breath away. With a soft cry she threw herself into his arms. Clutching her tight, he bent his head, closing his eyes as her scent surrounded him. For the first time in years, he felt complete.

They both suddenly froze as a new feeling came over them. Pulling apart, they looked around to find five vampires surrounding them. Exchanging a wry glance, they turned back to back, pulling out stakes.

"We got no argument with you, Angel. We just want the slayer," the apparent leader said.

"Well, if that's all you want—you wanna go with these losers, Buffy?" Angel asked with mock seriousness.

"Nah, I already have a date. But I'm flattered," she quipped.

With a gutteral cry, they rushed in. Buffy took out one with a quick stab of Mr. Pointy. "C'mon guys, can't you do better than that? I've had more action from my grandma."

Angel staked the one that had rushed in from his right. "Maybe their boss couldn't afford more experienced assassins. These must be the bargain basement variety."

"Oh, we don't wanna kill 'er," the leader said. "We get double the price if we deliver her alive. 'Course, somethin's better than nothin', so we'll kill 'er if we have to."

Buffy stepped away from Angel and delivered a solid kick to the next vamp, sending him flying. "Sorry, looks like you're gonna have to learn to live with disappointment."

Angel flipped another vamp to the ground and staked him. The leader jumped on his back and tried pulled Angel's head back to expose his neck. "Time to bring you back to the fold," he taunted, bending his head, fangs exposed. He disappeared in a cloud of dust. Angel turned to thank her.

"Buffy, look out!"

She spun and struck out at the same time, dusting the last one. Breathing heavily, they looked around to make sure there weren't any more, then turned back to share a shaky smile.

"Let's get out of here before more of the fang brigade shows up," Buffy said, grabbing his hand and leading the way.

They took a circuitous route through a series of dimly lit streets and alleys, sticking to the shadows as much as possible and watching for unwanted company. Finally they approached a well-hidden back door in an alley. Moving quietly, they went up the servant's stairway to the third floor. Neither spoke until they were inside her apartment with the door locked and the chain engaged.

"Well…" Buffy said breathlessly, shrugging out of her damp coat and turning on the lamp. Angel looked around the tiny windowless room. There wasn't much to see. A bureau, desk and chair were against one wall, a double bed and nightstand against another, leaving very little room to move around. "Here, let me take your coat," she urged. He shrugged out of the sodden garment, then stood there awkwardly as she hung it on a hook behind the door.

"Nice place," he commented, just to fill the silence.

She shrugged. "The price is right. The building is owned by the sister of one of the Watchers, so no rent. I don't spend much time here anyway, mostly just sleep." Angel glanced at the bed, then flushed as she caught him looking. "Have a seat," she said, disappointed when he pulled the chair out from the desk and sat down. She sat on the edge of the bed, wishing for once he'd shed the old world manners.

Angel cleared his throat. His search for her had consumed his thoughts for so long, he realized he hadn't really taken the time to consider what he would say once he found her. And now she was right there, an arm's length away, and the only thing he really wanted to do didn't require words. He tore his gaze away from her to study the still life painting over the bed.

"So, h-how are you?" she asked softly. His eyes darted to her, then back to the wall.

"Fine. Great. I mean, it was kinda overwhelming at first…I don't think I'll ever take breathing for granted," he ended wryly, his gaze sliding irresistibly back to her. She was watching him closely as though still not quite able to believe he was here and human at last.

"I can imagine," she said with a smile. "So, what do you want to do?" she asked abruptly.

Angel's eyes widened a little. "Do? I—what do you mean?" he asked, his throat dry.

"Yeah, you know, now that you're human, I thought you'd want to—think about a career maybe? I mean, it's not like you can continue with the super hero gig—"

"I don't know why not. They let me keep my super hero strength and healing powers," he said.

That brought her up short. "Oh…well, that's great—" she began, trailing off at the intense look he was giving her. "Any idea _who_ you might be super hero-ing with?" she asked, her voice breaking a little on the last word, hardly daring to hope what his presence meant.

Unable to resist any longer, he joined her on the bed. "I was hoping _you'd_ be willing…that is, if you're not already too busy…" he murmured, leaning in to smell her hair. God, he'd missed her scent.

She turned her head and those incredible eyes locked with his. Her mouth went slack as his proximity did crazy things to her insides. "Well, I don't know," she whispered, her hand reaching to touch him over his pounding heart. A soft smile lit her features. "Yeah, I think I could make room for you in my busy schedule—"

Dipping his head, he nuzzled her cheek. With a soft cry she turned to find his mouth with hers, sliding her arms up around his neck and pulling him close.

Angel's eyes closed in bliss. His tongue sought entrance and he groaned a little as her lips parted on a breathless whimper. Her taste, which had haunted his dreams for so long, was intoxicating, sending his senses reeling. Gathering her close, he lay back against the pillows, thrilling to the feel of her body against his. Her hands moved between them, working his buttons feverishly. He shrugged out of the shirt as she pushed the edges apart, his breath hissing in as her hands stroked over the planes of his chest. His hands edged up under the hem of her shirt, spreading to caress the soft skin of her torso. Sitting up a little, she pulled the shirt off over her head and Angel's breath stopped as he drank in the sight of her.

"Beautiful," he whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah," she agreed softly, her hands stroking up his chest and coming up to touch his face with wonder. "I love you," she said with a catch in her voice.

Angel rolled her under him. "I love you—always," he murmured, echoing the inscription he'd written to her in the front of a book of poetry a lifetime ago.

She leaned up to kiss him deeply, her tongue darting in to explore the depths of his mouth, and Angel moaned, unbearably aroused. They began to undress each other, laughing a little as their hands kept colliding in their haste. At last they were skin to skin, joined as they had been once before, but this time was somehow different. Time had ripened their passion, long years apart had made their love more precious so that every touch, every sigh, every kiss was tinged with intense emotion. The afternoon passed in a haze as they explored and rediscovered each other.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A big heart-felt thank you to all my reviewers. You guys totally ROCK! And a special thank you and shout out to my friend from the Anti-Boneyard, ashangel, who gave me the name for the villain of this story. For some reason, that was all musie needed to get her creative juices going. BTW, to you Bones fans, check out the Anti-Boneyard, the new home of the disenchanted squints who left the Boneyard. http://theanti-boneyard. Fulfilled**

Chapter 3

They had been lying there for hours, her head pillowed on his chest, his arm cradling her close, his hand idly stroking the soft skin of her upper arm. He experienced a flash of déjà vu. They'd done this before, on a day that only lived on in his memory. At least, that's what he'd been lead to believe.

"Mmmm, that's a good sound," Buffy said softly. "Thump, thump…thump, thump," she murmured with a smile.

Angel's hand stilled as a chill swept over him. She couldn't possibly remember—the Oracles had said he would be the only one who would carry that memory. He briefly considered telling her about it, then discarded the idea. Sharing that secret wouldn't accomplish anything except to bring her heartache at the thought of him carrying that burden all these years. He didn't want to bring her any more pain, ever again. He was silent so long she tilted her head to look up at him curiously.

"Angel?" she asked. He smoothed the frown from his brow for her benefit as he met her eyes. "How does it feel?"

He cocked a half smile at her. "It feels pretty amazing," he said huskily. The memory would stay his, soon to be replaced with shared ones. She snuggled into his arms with a satisfied purr. The minutes ticked by and Angel drowsed a bit, happier than he'd been in a long time.

"Angel?" she whispered. He grunted softly. "This is the first time I've ever felt this way." Okay, this was just scary—she was repeating verbatim everything she'd said that other time. He forced himself to reply in kind.

"What way?"

"Like a normal girl, falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend," she said with a contented sigh. Angel's arms tightened around her and he made a silent vow that this was just the first in a long string of nights they would spend in each other's arms.

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"I'll only be gone an hour, tops," Buffy argued.

Angel almost growled with frustration. He'd forgotten how stubborn she could be. "What if you run into more of the fang gang?"

"I can take care of myself." He gave her a dubious glance. "Look, I've been here three weeks, I know the area like the back of my hand. Besides, there hasn't been much vamp activity—"

"That's because they didn't know you were here!" Angel argued. "Now they do."

"They? You mean the vamps?"

"Yes—no—I mean, these particular vamps—"

"What, these aren't your usual garden variety vamps? 'Cuz they dusted like any of the others I've ever run into."

"I think I may have been followed," Angel confessed.

Buffy stared at him. "What makes you think that?"

"I've had a…feeling, for weeks. I thought I lost them, but I guess I was wrong."

Buffy frowned. "What do they want?"

"I don't know," Angel said, frustrated. "I never actually _saw_ anyone."

"Well, we can't hide here forever. We have to eat."

"Just be reasonable. Let me come with you."

Buffy sighed. "You'd just slow me down, and it would be harder to stay below their radar. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Angel stepped close to her, reaching up to stroke her cheek tenderly. "You better be, or I'll kick your ass."

Her eyes fluttered shut. His fingers were warm against her skin, a sensation she still hadn't grown accustomed to. She opened her eyes and her heart expanded at the tender concern in his gaze. "Yeah, right, like that could happen," she said wryly, trying to lighten the mood. "You worry too much. I'll be back before you know it." She leaned up to give him a lingering kiss and then she was gone.

Angel waited a minute, then followed, staying to the shadows, moving silently. It wasn't that he doubted her ability to take care of herself, he just had a strong feeling if he let her out of his sight, she'd disappear. He didn't know if he could handle losing her again. But in spite of his best efforts, he lost track of her not far from the apartment.

Two alleys and a dark street later she came upon a vampire feeding on a young girl in a shadowed doorway. Buffy pulled out her stake as the vamp dropped his prey and faced her with a snarl. "Didn't your mom ever teach you it isn't nice to bite?" she quipped.

The vampire rushed at her and she blocked a blow, spinning and striking out with the stake. He exploded in a cloud of dust and she shrugged. "Well, that was boring," she said, disappointed.

Suddenly a rope whipped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. "It wasn't intended to be entertaining—just distracting," said a deep voice from behind her. She struggled as her wrists were grabbed and twisted behind her, then secured with more rope. She kicked out with her foot, connecting with a shin. Somebody howled with pain and she grinned with satisfaction. Pivoting on one leg, she swung out with her foot again, but this time someone caught it and jerked up on it. She landed on her back with a grunt of pain and lay for a second panting. Two vampires reached down to hold her down while a third tried to tie her flailing legs.

"Help me out here, J.J.," the third one demanded with a grunt as one of her feet connected with his shoulder.

J.J. moved to help secure her feet and she struggled to buck the other vampire off her torso, but couldn't get any leverage with her hands bound under her. They all stepped back once she was secure. The first vampire laughed raspily. "Nicolai is going to be very pleased," he gloated. "Come on, pick 'er up. We need to get 'er off the street 'fore someone comes along."

Moments after they disappeared down a dark alley, Angel found the site of the struggle. She had dropped her stake. His heart stopped, then started racing. "Buffy?" he whispered as loudly as he dared. He looked up and down the dimly lit street, but it was deserted. Taking a guess, he headed down the street as quickly as he could, eyes sharp, but there was no sign of movement. She was gone.

Angel spent the next hour searching the streets and alleys in the area to no avail. In desperation he went to her favorite pub.

It was nearly deserted at this late hour. Angel sat at the far end of the bar, glancing around as the bartender took his time approaching him. "What can I get you?" the man asked warily.

"Information," Angel said softly. "I'm looking for a blonde, small stature, comes in here a lot. Name's Buffy."

The bartender narrowed his eyes at him, absently rubbing a spot on the bar. "I know 'er. Ain't seen 'er fer a couple days."

A movement caught the corner of Angel's eye. His 'spidey sense' told him it was a vampire and he turned on his stool, pinning the creature with a glare. "You there. C'mere."

The vamp froze and his eyes flew wide. "Me? Why? I don' know—"

Angel sighed, low on patience. "Don't make me come get you. You won't like it," he warned in a dangerously calm voice.

Evidently courage wasn't this vampire's strong point. He came over and slumped on a stool nearby.

"What do you know about the slayer?" Angel asked.

"Bloody 'ell!" he muttered dispiritedly. "Nothin'! I mind my own business, s'whot keeps me alive—so to speak," the vampire said desperately.

In a blink of an eye Angel grabbed the creature by the collar and slammed his face against the bar. The bartender suddenly found a spot at the far end of the bar that needed his immediate attention.

"Ow! You're 'urtin' me!"

Angel slapped the guy in the head. "I'm just getting started. Try again. Somebody has it out for the slayer and I know, the demon grapevine being what it is, a vamp like you is gonna know who. Start talking or I'm gonna start removing body parts."

"Okay! Let me up, I'll tell ya," the vamp whined. Angel let go, settling on the barstool next to the informant. The vampire straightened, smoothing his clothes, obviously stalling. Angel made a move to grab him again and he made a placating gesture. "His name's Nicolai, a foreigner, moved into the area yesterday and started puttin' out the word that there'd be a reward for anyone who brought 'im the slayer alive."

"Where's his lair?" Angel asked grimly.

"'Ow would I know? I 'ad no intention o' goin' after the slayer—"

"Where is his lair?" Angel repeated, leaning in threateningly. The vampire almost fell off his stool.

"There's an old abandoned church down on Trelawny Street near the warehouse district. Word is 'e's in the basement with 'is flunkies." Angel stared at him for a tense moment, then decided it was worth checking out. It wasn't like he had any other leads and there was no way he was just going to go back to the apartment.

"If I find out you're lying to me, I will find you and dust you so fast, you won't know what hit you," Angel threatened.

"Why would I lie? I'm just tryin' to survive 'ere," the informant replied desperately.

Angel threw a bill on the bar. "I'm just saying, lying to me could be hazardous to your health. Now, have a pint on me. And don't leave town."

The bartender moved to pull a pint as Angel left, shaking his head as he placed it in front of the demon. "Why'd ya go and do that? Ya know they're gonna kill 'im."

Taking a noisy slurp of his beer, the vampire shrugged. "Ain't no business o' mine. At least then he can't come rough me up s'more."

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**More to come, hopefully tomorrow. Meanwhile, please click the 'GO' button and feed musie. She's been quite temperamental lately.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Angel's first impulse was to rush to the church, but he knew he needed to be better prepared. His first stop was his room at a small inn where he paid his bill and gathered his things. Fortunately there wasn't much to pack. He liked to travel light, if you could call a broadsword and fighting axe light. Staying to the shadows as much as possible, he went to Buffy's place and stowed his duffle. He strapped a dagger to his ankle and slipped four stakes into the assorted inner pockets inside his duster. Hefting the sword he glanced around one more time to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. He spotted a small bottle of holy water and slipped that into his pocket too, satisfied that he had armed himself as well as he could.

Again moving as quickly and quietly as possible, sticking to the shadows, Angel ghosted through the streets of London. There were few people about at this hour, for which he was thankful. He really wasn't in the mood to tangle with anyone, nor did he want to waste any time. Soon he found the old church and he forced himself to stop and take stock of the situation. There was no sign of occupancy, no surprise there. The demons wouldn't want to attract any unwanted attention. He stole around to the back, looking for an exterior entrance to the basement. He found it at the back behind the dumpster. The hinges of the door had been recently oiled, so the door opened silently. Drawing his sword, Angel crept in, pulling the door shut behind him.

He was surprised nobody was watching the door, but he chalked that up to the arrogance of this Nicolai guy. Obviously he didn't feel anyone would dare confront him in his lair. Idiot.

Angel slipped up the corridor, stopping just outside a door that was ajar. He heard voices. "So you're the big bad they're talking about," Buffy said. She sounded winded and Angel wondered if she was in the middle of a battle, but there were no sounds of blows or any other movement to speak of. Angel cautiously peered through the doorway.

Buffy was tied to a large heavy wooden chair that looked like a throne. Her face bore several bruises and her bottom lip was swollen and bleeding. A tall, gaunt vampire with black hair was sitting in another throne facing her, watching her thoughtfully. Another vampire, stocky and very muscular, stood near her, and as Angel watched he drew back his fist to punch her in the stomach. Buffy grunted with pain. She glared at the seated vamp.

"So, what's the plan? You gonna have this goon beat me to a pulp while you watch? Not very sporting of you, the least you could do is untie me so I can give you a better show. Or are you afraid he's no match for me?" Buffy taunted bravely.

The seated vampire, Angel guessed he was Nicolai, smirked. "Nice try, Slayer," he murmured in a silken voice. "Milo likes to inflict pain with his fists. I'm willing to let him have his fun since he's been such a faithful follower of mine for so long. After all, I only need you _alive_ for the ritual. A few bruises and broken bones won't make any difference, one way or the other." Milo stood there panting, a stupid grin on his face. Angel decided he was gonna enjoy repaying him for the pain he was inflicting on his love. His gaze darted around the dimly lit room. It was full of boxes and discarded furniture covered with sheets. And vamps, lots of them, at least a dozen that he could see. They were all focused on the Slayer, watching her hungrily. Staying to the shadows, he crept around the edge of the room, moving to position himself behind a stack of boxes behind Nicolai's chair. He peered around the boxes cautiously.

Buffy's eyes widened a bit when she spotted him and she focused on him for a brief moment. Then he saw her clench her fists, working at her bonds unobtrusively. "So, what's this Tupperware ritual all about? And why do you need me? Personally, I'm a Rubbermaid gal, but whatever—"

"Turpinaire," Nicolai corrected wearily as though he had already told her several times. "I found it in an ancient text. Mix the blood of a Slayer with an assortment of herbs and other mystical components on the first night of the full moon and drink it. It will render me absolutely invincible."

"How do you know it's for real? It could be a hoax or something," Buffy pointed out, trying to keep Nicolai talking while Angel took in the situation, racking his brain for some kind of viable plan. Viable in that it didn't involve the two of them winding up dead. She continued to work at her bonds.

"The text I found it in was quite old and very reliable," Nicolai said. "Regardless, there is one way to find out. And since tomorrow night is the new full moon, we won't have long to wait."

"Tomorrow night? Sorry, I've already got a date. If you want I could pencil you in for a month from…never," she sassed. Milo drew back a fist and smashed it into her jaw, snapping her head to the side. The watching vamps snickered and clapped their approval. Angel decided he'd waited long enough. Hefting his sword in one hand, a stake in the other, he stepped from the shadows.

"Let her go," he growled as Nicolai sprang to his feet and Milo moved to grab Buffy by the throat. Nicolai stayed his minion with a gesture.

"Well, well, looks like the Slayer has a would-be savior. Who are you?" The other vamps began shifting around, but came no closer. They were waiting for a sign from their leader.

Angel pointed the sword menacingly. "Your executioner if you don't let her go," he said. Buffy made a choking sound as Milo's grip tightened around her throat.

"Don't kill her yet, Milo," Nicolai warned his minion. He turned to Angel with a wry smile. "He's very loyal to me, but he can be a bit…overzealous at times. I'd be careful, were I you." His eyes narrowed on his opponent. "You look familiar," he mused. "Have we met?"

Angel gave a shrug. "I don't think so. I think I'd remember an ugly mug like yours."

Nicolai suddenly smiled and snapped his fingers. "Wait, I remember…Angelus, isn't it?" Angel stared at him stonily. "No, that can't be, you're not a vampire…but you look like him." The hairs on the back of Angel's neck prickled as the other vamps closed in, waiting for a signal from their leader.

"My name's Angel," came the clipped reply. Angel slid a glance at Buffy. Her eyes were focused on him, almost like she was trying to tell him something. He tightened his grip on the sword, determined to be prepared if she managed—

Suddenly Buffy swung her left arm up, still tied to the arm of the chair which she had managed to pull free from the base of the chair, and slammed it into Milo's thick skull. He roared with pain and grabbed his head, stupidly leaving Buffy free to stake him with the arm of the chair. But Angel didn't have time to help her get free. Nicolai had pulled out a sword of his own and was backing away. Angel matched him step for step as the rest of the vamps started to move in.

"So, who pulled your fangs, _Angelus_? The Slayer?" Nicolai taunted. Angel couldn't help darting a glance her way to assess her progress. She was working at the knots with her teeth while kicking out at a vamp that had stepped up to attack. It grunted with pain as the kick connected. Her left hand was free and she started working on her right.

"Tsk, tsk, such a shame. You were the most notorious, vicious and delightfully wicked vampire to walk the earth in a long time. To be brought low, _tamed_ by the Slayer…dreadful shame," Nicolai said with mock sadness, edging his way toward the corridor.

"I can't let you leave," Angel said in a softly menacing voice. He spun and struck out with the sword, beheading a vamp that had sprung at him.

Nicolai raised his brows. "Oh, really? I don't know why not. You've rescued your precious slayer—"

"If I let you live, you'll just come after her again so you can use her for your twisted ritual. I'm usually a live-and-let-live kinda guy, but I tend to take it personally when someone tries to kill my—Buffy," Angel said. He'd almost slipped and called her his lover. Maybe that wasn't news to the murderous bastard, but there was no sense confirming it for him.

Suddenly Nicolai dashed behind a large cabinet, sending it crashing down. Angel leapt back, narrowly escaping being crushed. Maniacal laughter echoed through the basement as the vampire made his getaway.

Angel cursed vehemently as he struggled to move the cabinet. Suddenly Buffy cried out and he turned to find her fighting four vamps. He joined the fray, staking one of the vamps and beheading another with a mighty swing of his sword.

"You couldn't stall him for another minute or two?" Buffy huffed, kicking out at another vamp. Angel tossed her a stake.

"Well, you know, when he started calling me Angelus, I pretty much wanted to kill him," Angel said, panting, parrying a blow from a vamp that had swung at him with a two by four. Suddenly he smelled…smoke? "Shit, Buffy, we have to hurry. I think he set a fire." Pulling out another stake, he kicked the board out of the vamp's hand and staked him. Buffy dispatched the other two and they looked around for the rest, but it seemed they had melted away during the fight.

"We need to get outta here," Buffy said. Smoke was starting to fill the room, making it difficult to see.

"Up there," Angel said, pointing to some stairs at the back corner of the room. Grabbing her hand, he started making his way through the furniture and stacks of boxes. They dashed up the rickety stairs only to find the stout door at the top was locked.

The smoke was thicker up there and Buffy started coughing. Stepping back, she aimed a kick at the door, but it didn't budge. Angel motioned her to stand back, then put his shoulder into it, shoving hard. Still no luck.

"Use the sword!" Buffy said, wheezing in the thickening smoke. Angel waved her back and started hacking at the door with the sword. Finally, the door started to splinter. Pausing, Angel rammed his shoulder into the door several times, falling in when it finally gave way. Buffy helped him up and they moved through the dark rooms, looking for an exit. The smoke was getting thicker, making it hard to see anything. Finally they found an exterior door and they stumbled out, coughing, tears streaming from their eyes.

Sirens were approaching. Evidently someone had spotted the fire and called it in. "We better go," Angel said hoarsely. "I'd rather not hang around for twenty questions with the authorities." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along as she continued to cough. They needed to get to her apartment to regroup. They needed to figure out how to find Nicolai before he found them.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: To all who have reviewed, thank you so much! I'm sorry this update took so long, but this chapter was kinda hard. Hopefully the next chapter will be up this weekend. Please R&R, you know how much musie loves reviews.**

**Shanshu Fulfilled**

**Chapter 5**

Buffy and Angel made it back to her lodgings without incident. Locking the door behind them, Angel shed his duster and hung it up. Buffy shivered a bit.

"You're hurt," Angel said, stating the obvious. "Got some bandages?"

Buffy snorted. "Are you kidding? I keep the drugstore in business." She went over to a cabinet and pulled out a small box filled with bandages and disinfectant. Angel took the box and motioned her to sit on the bed.

She winced as she pulled her shirt off. Angel sucked in a breath as he surveyed the extent of her wounds. Her torso was covered with huge bruises. "You have a few fractured ribs," he said, pulling out some gauze. His face was grim. For a moment he wished Milo hadn't been dusted so he could dust him again.

She shrugged and winced again. "It's not the first time, and sure won't be the last. They'll heal."

Angel joined her on the bed. "I'm still going to wrap them. They won't hurt as much if I wrap them tight enough."

When he was satisfied that he'd wrapped her ribs well enough, he started on the contusions on her face. As he dabbed at her split lip with a cotton ball soaked with disinfectant, she had time to look him over. He didn't seem to have a mark on him.

"How did you get off without any souvenirs from our escapade?" she asked enviously.

Angel shrugged. "I wasn't tied up and used as a punching bag. And I can move pretty fast when I need to." Her lip had already mostly closed up, so he moved to the split in her brow. She hissed in pain as the disinfectant stung. "You oughta have stitches on this," he said with a frown.

"Just butterfly it," she said carelessly. Angel dropped his hand and gave her a doubtful look. "I haven't tried the hospitals here yet," she said, "but I'm guessing they're as nosy as the ones back home. I can't see myself explaining all these wounds."

He sighed and picked through the box, looking for the butterfly bandages. He found three and began applying them. He sat back when he was done and she reached for her shirt.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

Buffy flinched as she shoved her arm into one sleeve. "I'm fine. Every minute we waste gives Nicolai more time to find a new hidey-hole."

Angel grabbed the end of her sleeve, effectively arresting her painful attempt to dress. "He's already gone." She scowled at him. He pulled on the sleeve. "You need to rest. He's not going to go far…he wants _you_. He'll come after you again tomorrow and we'll be ready."

Buffy sighed and gave up. She didn't have the energy to fight him _and_ pull herself together enough to go out and fight demons. Angel knelt on the floor in front of her and gently removed her boots, then carefully pushed her back on the bed. Removing his own shoes, he stretched out next to her, careful not to jostle her too much.

Gingerly snuggling up to him, Buffy sighed deeply. His heart was beating steadily under her cheek and she began to relax, sinking into deep contentment. In spite of the danger that waited for them out there, right here, right now, she was where she wanted to be. Tomorrow was soon enough to worry about Nicolai and what he was up to.

**B&A&B&A&B&A&B&A**

At the far side of town, Nicolai paced the confines of his new lair in the bowels of an old mausoleum. He was vibrating with fury and the eight vampires that were gathered with him watched him warily. He wasn't known for his self control when his plans were thwarted and he had dusted followers in a fit of pique before. Several of them were whispering, discussing the prudence of a strategic withdrawal. Fear of reprisals made them stay for now.

"We need more demons," Nicolai was saying. He stopped mid stride and pinned one of the vamps with an angry glare. "Full out recruiting starting right now," he growled, looking around at the others. The vamps muttered among themselves and Nicolai lost his temper. "What are you waiting for? Get out there and get me some more minions! I don't care what you promise them, just get them. By this time tomorrow, the Slayer and her puling lover Angelus will be mine!"

Galvanized by their terror of the violence Nicolai was legendary for, the vamps scattered and he stood in the middle of the room clenching his fists. That bitch was going to pay. He was going to make Angelus watch the ritual, watch him kill his lover, and then he was going to kill the bastard. And then _nobody_ would stand in his way.

**B&A&B&A&B&A&B&A**

Angel woke slowly. Buffy had rolled away from him in her sleep, which made it easier for him to ease off the bed without waking her. He needed to go do some recon, see what he could learn about Nicolai's activities. She needed to sleep and give her body time to heal. No way would she let him go alone if she was awake.

Moving as silently as possible, he put on his shoes and pulled on his duster. He gathered all the weapons he could find, stashing them quietly in his pockets. He briefly considered leaving her a note, but discarded the idea. She would know where he'd gone when she woke, and he knew she would come after him, no matter how eloquent his note was. He only hoped she slept through his absence. The thought of her out on the streets in her weakened condition frankly terrified him. He needed to find Nicolai and dust the son of a bitch. At the very least he hoped to get wind of where the bastard was hiding now.

It was still too early for there to be many people about, so Angel was able to move through the streets quickly. His eyes were alert for any sign of nocturnal types he might be able to question. He got lucky several streets away from the apartment. In a dingy alley he found a vampire crouched in the shadows, feeding on a cat. He would have missed him completely if the pathetic creature hadn't jumped in surprise at his passing. Scurrying behind some trash bins, it cowered, shivering and whimpering as Angel approached.

"What's your name?" Angel asked more gently than he wanted to.

"N-n-neville," came the weak, terrified reply. Neville was dressed in filthy rags and Angel concentrated on breathing through his mouth after his first whiff of the odious little creature.

"Well, Neville, my name is Angel and I need some information."

That got his attention and seemed to calm him a bit. His rat-like face took on a sly expression. "Don' know if I ken 'elp ya, guv'na, but fer a few quid I'll tell ya an'thin'."

Angel pulled out a five pound note, but jerked it out of reach when Neville snatched at it. "Ah-ah-ah, not so fast. You know a vampire named Nicolai?"

"Mmm-hmm," the vampire hummed, eyes fastened greedily on the bill.

Angel snapped his fingers to get his attention again. "You know where his lair is?"

"Ole 'bandoned church o'er on Trelawny," Neville said automatically, lunging at the money again.

"Nope. Try again, Neville. The church burned last night and Nicolai and his followers have moved their digs."

Neville frowned. "Ya don' say! Cor!—wonder 'oo mighta done tha'?" He looked up at Angel and narrowed his eyes. "Say, ifn it jus' 'appened las' night, 'ow do you know?"

""Cause I'm the one did the burning. Now, since you don't seem to know anything, I guess I'll take my fiver and see if I can find someone else—" he said with a disappointed air.

"Wait!" Neville said hastily, panicking as Angel folded the bill and put it away. "I-I know a bloke…'e allus knows ever'thin'…we could go see 'im. Tha' be worth a fiver, ya think?"

Angel nodded slowly, then grabbed him by the lapels of his filthy coat. "Don't even think about double crossing me, Nev. You wouldn't like to see me pissed off," he threatened softly.

Neville's eyes flew wide and he shook his head vigorously. "I-I wouldn' do dat, guv'na. I ain' stupid. C'mon. Tobias'll be 'eadin' to 'is lair 'bout now."

Angel followed the snitch up one street and down another, keeping his eyes alert for any signs of movement. Neville finally led him down an alley and stopped at the basement entrance of a large warehouse. Glancing around nervously, Neville knocked hesitantly. A moment later the door was snatched open.

The vampire that stood in the entrance was definitely more prosperous than Angel's guide was. He wore fine quality clothes that were clean and pressed and his hair was neatly trimmed. His eyebrows slammed together at the sight of them.

"Here now, what's this, Neville? Haven't I told you I don't want people knowing where I live?" Tobias growled.

Neville cowered a little, but Angel's presence beside him gave him the courage to state his business. "This 'ere's Angel, Tobias. 'E needs to know where Nicolai is. 'E's got _money_."

Tobias looked Angel up and down, then leaned forward to glance up and down the alley. Then he jerked his head at them and turned away from the door. Neville scrambled to follow and, after a look up and down the alley for himself, Angel followed too.

They were led down a dark hallway to a small room behind the boiler room. The room had the basics, bed, dresser, nightstand, lamp, all of good quality. Seemed Tobias enjoyed his creature comforts. He wasn't much of a host. He didn't offer them refreshment or even a seat.

"What makes you think I know where Nicolai is?" he asked, standing in the middle of the room, folding his arms and glaring at Angel.

Angel shrugged with a casualness he didn't feel. "I don't. This was Neville's idea." Tobias turned his glare on the pathetic little vampire.

"Awww, c'mon Toby, I need the money and 'e offered me a fiver, and you allus know ever'thin' wot 'appens, so I din' see any 'arm—"

"Don't call me Toby," Tobias snapped irritably. His gaze swung back to Angel. "Why the hell should I tell you anything? Nicolai can be quite vicious when he feels he has been betrayed."

"He won't be in any condition to come after you when I get done with him. He's got it out for my mate and I wanna dust the bastard before he has a chance to hurt her any more than he already has." Angel held Tobias' stare, a muscle jumping in his cheek. "Now, if you can't tell me where he is, I need to be on my way. I don't have much time to find him."

"Your mate, huh? Would that be the Slayer?" Tobias asked, eyes narrowed.

Angel forced himself not to show surprise. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Nicolai's 'recruiters' cornered me over an hour ago," Tobias said, his stance relaxing fractionally. "They are promising anybody that joins his group a sip of the Slayer's blood. I don't have to tell you how…tempting such a promise would be to a vampire. The power of a Slayer's blood, especially one that has lived as long as this one has and killed as many demons as she has…heady stuff indeed."

Angel fought to keep his anger under control. "Where is he?" he demanded impatiently.

Tobias shook his head regretfully. "I didn't manage to survive so long and so well by being stupid. If you failed, Nicolai would come after me."

Angel stepped close to the dapper vampire and grabbed his lapels, practically seething with fury. "_I'm_ here _now_," he threatened softly in his most menacing tone, "and if you don't tell me, you won't be around to worry about Nicolai."

Tobias raised his eyebrows, studying Angel for a long moment. Then he sighed. "Fine. He has appropriated an old mausoleum in the Shady Acres Cemetery at the northeast end of the city."

Angel smoothed the lapels of Tobias' suit. "If your information turns out to be bogus, or if this is a trap, I will come back here and dust you," he murmured threateningly. "_After_ I beat the shit out of you."

If Tobias was frightened, he was hiding it well. "Just make sure you and your Slayer take Nicolai out."

Angel turned to go and Neville scrambled to follow. "Uh, Angel, abou' tha' fiver?"

Pulling out the bill, he flung it at the vampire and hurried on his way. He needed to get back to Buffy. If he was lucky, she was still sleeping. Now that they knew where to look, they could formulate a plan. Hopefully the odds weren't stacked too heavily against them, but it all depended on how successful Nicolai's recruiting campaign was.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, peeps. The laptop was in the shop WITH this chapter on it, so I couldn't work on it. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Shanshu Fulfilled**

**Chapter 6**

The thing he'd loved London for the last time he was there was the thing he hated it for this time around—the fog. He'd forgotten how thick it was in the predawn hours. He could have passed hundreds of demons and he'd never know it. Thankfully they were either not there or they weren't interested in attacking a guy like him and he made it back to Buffy's place without incident.

Slipping into the apartment, he closed and locked the door behind him, shedding his duster, shaking it out and hanging on the hook. He turned toward the bed and his heart stopped as he realized it was empty. Turning in a circle, he confirmed what his senses had already told him. She wasn't there. His heart started racing and his thoughts went wild, imagining all sorts of terrifying possibilities.

Suddenly the doorknob rattled behind him and he spun around as Buffy came in, juggling a bag and two Styrofoam cups. Naturally he went from being frightened for her to being furious with her.

"Where have you been?" he demanded harshly, barely resisting the urge to grab her and shake her.

Her brows shot up. "I could ask you the same," she countered reasonably. She crossed to the desk and put down the cups and the bag. "I know this coffee shop around the corner that serves the best scones. So when I woke and you were gone, I decided to get us some breakfast."

Taking several deep, calming breaths, Angel put his hands on his hips. "Breakfast, huh?" She looked at him, puzzled by his tone. He took a deep breath to steady himself. "I think we need cell phones. I don't like not knowing where you are," he said in a calmer voice. Now that he knew she was safe, he was able to be more reasonable.

"Hey, don't go all mother hen on me," she said irritably. "I panicked a bit when I woke and you were gone, but I didn't lose it. I figured you could handle of yourself."

"I'm not the one with a whole slew of vamps after me," Angel pointed out. "You're not to go anywhere without me, understand?"

It was her turn to get angry. "No, I don't. I'm the Slayer. I don't need a bodyguard. Hell, I can kick _your_ ass!"

Quick as that, his temper was back. "Is that so? Then how did Nicolai get you?"

She folded her arms and flushed, suddenly embarrassed on top of being mad. He would have to bring that up! "They surprised me, is all. Caught me off guard. Now that I know they're after me, I'll be a lot more careful."

Angel sighed and stepped close to her, putting his hands on her upper arms and rubbing up and down. "I know you're careful, Buffy. Just please, for my peace of mind…don't go out without me. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you…after finally getting my reward and finding you again. I just don't know…" he said hoarsely, bending his head to touch his forehead to hers.

Buffy sighed too and tears blocked her throat so that she couldn't reply for a moment. She sniffed and gave a teary chuckle. "Well if you're gonna get all mushy on me—" she said, then leaned up to kiss him gently. He pulled her tight against him and deepened the kiss, putting all of his pent-up tension into it. Moaning a little, she slipped her arms up around his neck, straining to get closer. Sliding his hands down her back, he palmed her ass and lifted her. She put her legs around him and he carried her the short distance to the bed. Setting her down, he started removing her clothes, pausing to kiss each body part as he bared it.

Her hands weren't idle either. Her fingers made short work of his buttons, then pushed his shirt off his shoulders. Purring with pleasure, she stroked his chest, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Leaning forward, she pressed a trail of kisses across his warm skin. Her hands moved to his belt, unfastening the buckle with a soft click. He sucked in a breath on a faint hiss as she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, slipping her hand in to touch him. Breathing deep, Angel fought to hold onto his self control as his trousers dropped to his ankles and her hands measured his length.

"Is this all for me, baby?" she whispered huskily, sliding her hands around to his ass and squeezing.

"Every inch of it," he said with a faint smile, then he sobered as he looked into her amazing eyes. His heart was thundering in his chest. "I love you," he murmured, his eyes dark with emotion. He'd never meant it more.

She looked up at him for a long moment, mouth slack as she realized just how deeply he meant it. Her heart swelled with love and for a moment she couldn't move, she was so overcome with emotion. Dropping to the bed, she pulled him down with her. "I love you, too," she whispered, then leaned up to kiss him deeply, her body undulating against him. He leaned up on an elbow to look down at her. His hand trembled as he reached up to touch her cheek. Her eyes drifted closed as his fingers stroked over her features, as though he was blind and needed to learn her by touch. Turning her head a little, she licked his thumb where it rested on her bottom lip, then drew it in to suck on it, ending with a soft nip. Angel smiled tenderly at her playfulness.

He ran his hand down her neck and over her collarbone, then down to circle her breast, squeezing it until she gasped. She leaned up to kiss his jaw, then trailed kisses up to his ear. Her teeth nipped at his earlobe and he shut his eyes as desire raced along his nerve endings. His arm came around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Dizziness threatened to overwhelm him at the feel of her soft curves matched so perfectly to his body. Like two halves of a whole, they were neither complete without the other. How he had managed to survive without her for so many years was a mystery. He hoped he never had to try to do it again. Now that they were together once more, for always, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure they were never separated again.

Rolling her to her back, he propped himself on his elbows above her, looking down at her in the dim lamp light. Her eyes, those amazing hazel eyes, were watching him with a wonder that matched his own. That they were together at last, after all the sacrifices, still hadn't quite sunk in. They both expected to wake and find it had all been a dream, because they had each dreamed of this day, more often than was probably healthy, given the circumstances. But all that was behind them now.

Angel leaned down and kissed her deeply. She moaned, grasping at his hips, seeking that ultimate connection that she'd never experienced with anyone else, a connection that went beyond the physical. Holding his breath, Angel moved to give them both what they wanted and deserved. When he was completely sheathed in her, he stopped to savor the sensation. She was slick and warm and pulsing and he thought with wonder that this must be what heaven feels like. Then she moved and he had to amend that thought. Heaven was in her arms, joined to her and striving for the fulfillment he only found with her. Unable to hold back any more, he began to match her rhythm. When she tried to increase the tempo, he held back, trying to prolong the pleasure, but she wasn't to be deterred. Grasping his hip, she wrapped her leg around his and flipped him to his back. Flushed, panting, she rose above him and took control. Angel's hands took advantage of her position, palming her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers as he watched her rush toward the goal. They reached it together, gasping and panting, clutching each other as to a lifeline.

In the aftermath, lying twined together and drowsing, Angel spoke. "Marry me?" he asked. As soon as the words were out, doubt assailed him. Was it too soon?

Her head jerked and her eyes met his. Words failed her, though she had dreamed of hearing him say those words for years. She swallowed dryly. "Yes," she replied simply.

Angela stared, shocked that she had accepted so easily. "Y-yes? Y-you don't wanna think about it?" he whispered.

"Nope," she replied with a smile, which just as quickly faded. "Why? Didn't you mean it?"

"Of course I did…do, I just…" he stammered. He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I didn't expect you to say yes so quickly."

She smiled up at him, stroking her hand over his chest. "Are you kidding? I was beginning to wonder if _I'd_ have to ask _you_," she teased.

A corner of his mouth quirked. "I don't have a ring yet," he said.

She laid her head back down on his chest, snuggling in closer to him. "That's okay. We can look for one together. Or we can skip that part. It's no big. Main thing is, we're getting married. I never wanna be apart from you again," she finished, the words trailing off at the end. Angel looked down to find she had drifted off to sleep. More content than he can ever remember being, he joined her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm really sorry for the delay in continuing this story. Inspiration has been long in coming, but your patience will now be rewarded with a nice long chapter. Thanks to my friend luli for a key idea in this chapter. She isn't quite the huge fan of B&A as I am, but she knew enough to help me. You rock, luli! There are only a couple more chapters to go. Thanks for reading!**

_**RECAP: When last we saw our lovers, they had just enjoyed a very satisfying romp between the sheets after a disagreement over Buffy going out alone. After being burned out of the abandoned church he had been living in, Nicolai has moved his base of operation to a mausoleum in the Shady Acres Cemetery and is working on recruiting a new batch of minions in anticipation of going after the Slayer and her lover, Angel.**_

Buffy and Angel crept through Shady Acres Cemetery in the early afternoon. Though it was true that there was virtually no chance they'd run into any vamps, what with the sunlight all around them, they didn't know if Nicolai might have recruited some other demony types that didn't have an allergy to daylight. Other than a few humans visiting the gravesites of loved ones, the cemetery was thankfully quiet. They found the mausoleum in the far eastern corner and took up a position behind a large headstone a few yards away.

"Are you sure this is it?" Buffy whispered, eyes darting all over the place. Her spidey senses were going nuts and she couldn't shake the feeling they were walking right into a trap.

"Pretty sure," Angel answered softly. She rolled her eyes and gave him a look. He spread his hands helplessly. "What? I was lucky to get this info. You know how hard it is to find reliable informants? Especially when you're after a vamp with Nicolai's vicious reputation. Snitches aren't exactly beating down our door."

Buffy sighed. "I know you did the best you could. I'm just wiggin'—this feels like a trap."

Angel's sharp eyes darted around, looking for a threat. If Buffy was sensing something, chances were pretty strong there was something to worry about. "I feel it too," he said as he started to get a prickling on the back of his neck. "Maybe we're just overreacting—"

"Don't move," said a guttural voice from behind them. They shared a look as they both cautiously reached for weapons. "I said don't move!" the voice repeated. They froze. Hands suddenly grabbed them roughly, turning them and slamming them up against the headstone.

There were six demons of varying breeds surrounding them. Angel felt her tense beside him and he knew they were going to fight in spite of the weapons pointed at them. He gathered himself and lunged when she did, tackling the demon in front of him. Slipping a dagger from his boot, he stabbed at his opponent's face. His blow was knocked aside at the last moment but Angel used the momentum to bring the blade around and slice the demon's throat. Leaping back to his feet, he turned to meet the next foe.

Buffy was fighting barehanded, mainly because the only weapons she carried were stakes, which wouldn't do more than piss these demons off and she really didn't want them pissed off—just dead. Three of them surrounded her, each moving in by turn to take her on. She guessed they were too stupid to realize if they all rushed her together she wouldn't have a chance. She spun and kicked one in the face, sending him reeling into one of his fellows and they both went down in a tangle of limbs. The third demon was in a half crouch, sidling to her left, trying to find an opening. Leaping up, she kicked out with her left leg and caught him in the head. He shook his head, dazed by the hit and she moved in to deal him a couple sharp jabs to his midsection, sending the air whooshing out of his lungs and doubling him over. With all of her strength she chopped the back of his neck with the flat of her hand and he grunted, falling into a heap and staying down. By then the other two had recovered and were moving in on her.

Meanwhile Angel was having difficulties of his own. The remaining two demons were moving in together, and the one on the right had pulled out a wicked looking curved knife and was brandishing it. Angel relaxed his knees a bit, spreading his arms as he waited for the first move.

He almost missed it when a grunt from Buffy distracted him for a split second. A movement at the edge of his field of vision made him sidestep and he brought his battle axe around in a short arc, blocking the knife just short of connecting with his shoulder. He stepped into the swing and spun, bringing the axe back around in a move that caught his opponent off guard. There was a satisfying 'thunk' as the axe found its target in the demon's skull and it went down with a grunt of pain. The other demon had been bobbing and weaving, looking for an opening. When his comrade went down, he stepped back and pulled out a mace and started swinging it over his head. Angel watched him warily, waiting for his opening. When it was on the back side of the arc he moved in and stabbed at the demon's midsection. It jumped back, which threw it off balance and made it lose its grip on the handle of the mace, sending it spinning away to land in the bushes. Pulling a dagger out of its boot, the demon leapt to its feet and faced Angel again.

Buffy was getting tired. It felt like she'd been fighting these two for hours, though she knew only minutes had passed. They each had lost their swords, mainly because they obviously had orders to bring her in alive and she had been able to disarm them fairly easily. But that was where easy ended as they worked in tandem to wear her down with punches and kicks that landed more often than not. She had time for the briefest of glances to confirm that Angel was doing better than she was.

"Quit screwing around, Angel," she panted as she blocked a powerful kick aimed at her midsection.

"I'm—not—screwing—around," he replied between gritted teeth, parrying another feint of the dagger.

"Well, you only have one left," she pointed out breathlessly as she kicked out at the closest demon.

He darted a glance at her. "And you have two," he replied, then dodged a kick. "So who's slacking?" he quipped, sidestepping and punching the demon in the head. It went down and weakly struggled to get back up, then collapsed with a groan.

Turning to help Buffy, he was just in time to see her grappling with one demon while the second moved up behind her. Picking up a fallen sword, Angel brought it around with a mighty 'swish' and lopped off the demon's head. She grinned at him as she struggled with her demon, but before he could begin to help her, her glance moved past him and the grin faded.

"Angel, look out!" she shouted too late. Two more demons came up behind Angel and grabbed his arms. He struggled against them, but it was no use. Jerking his arms back, they tied him up. Buffy continued her battle against the demon before her with renewed vigor, but when the two newcomers had finished tying Angel up, they joined the fight and it proved too much for her. Her injuries and fatigue combined to weaken her, and in spite of her best efforts, she was soon trussed up too.

"What now?" Angel muttered, panting as he struggled against his bonds. Two of the demons picked him up, one at the feet and the other at the shoulders.

"Just stay sharp," Buffy murmured as she quietly worked against her ropes. "We'll get out of this." The demon Angel had punched in the head had recovered in time to help the remaining demon pick up the Slayer. They started walking toward Nicolai's lair, talking amongst themselves in their guttural language.

"How?" he asked as he realized the ropes were not budging.

"I don't know, I'm making this up as I go," she said.

"Great," Angel said on a sigh.

Neville had seen the whole thing from his hidey-hole in the doorway of a nearby crypt. He had been curious about Angel and his Slayer, so before dawn he had gone to the cemetery and found a dark place to wait. Not that he wanted to get caught in the middle of any fighting. But there just might be a chance for him to earn some more money and he didn't want to miss it.

When they lost the fight and the demons carted them off, all trussed up like Christmas turkeys, Neville was torn. Self preservation dictated that he mind his own business, but greed had him thinking hard for some way to get Angel and his Slayer some help. If he did that, he figured the reward would be huge. Even though he'd only had one encounter with Angel, he sensed that the Slayer meant a lot to him. He would probably be very grateful to anyone, demon or human, who helped him save her. Trick was finding some people willing to risk their necks in a battle against Nicolai.

Settling into his corner, Neville sighed. He had a few hours before sunset in which to think. If nothing came to him before then, he'd go visit Toby. He'd know what to do.

Neville decided to try the pub his friend frequented. Toby usually started the evening there, making contacts while he knocked back a few pints.

Pausing just inside the door, Neville looked towards the table in the corner. Sure enough, Toby was there with three of his cronies, sipping a pint. Neville approached cautiously.

"I heard the Slayer is in town," Copper was saying.

Toby rolled his eyes. "I already knew that," he said. "Question is, why? I thought she had her hands full in Rome."

Bowden shook his head, hunching his shoulders. "I dunno, but I heard Angelus was here too," he whispered after a quick look around. "Ya ask me, he's scarier than any Slayer."

"Oh, please! I saw him yesterday. He's harmless, as long as you leave his lover alone," Toby said dismissively.

A rangy vampire with platinum blonde hair seated at the bar spoke without turning around. "Ya don't say? Who do they say his lover is?"

Toby glanced over. "Everyone knows he's got a thing for the Slayer. Where have you been?"

Spike turned on his barstool. "Here and there, Toby. You know me. I heard they split, on account o' they can't shag without him goin' homicidal on her."

"Don't call me Toby," the dapper vampire said automatically. "He seemed pretty tame to me when I saw him. And he told me he and the Slayer are mates."

Spike's brows shot up. Maybe he was already too late. But he wasn't going to give up based on gossip. "Any idea where they're holed up?" he asked casually.

Toby snorted. "Sorry, we didn't get around to exchanging addresses. He wanted information, I gave him what I knew, he left." Just then he noticed Neville lurking nearby. "Hey, there, Neville. What are you up to?" he asked suspiciously.

The filthy little creature jumped and shuddered, glancing around quickly. "I got news o' the Slayer…and Angel," he said softly.

Everyone at the table straightened and looked around. Spike did too. "Well speak up, Nev old pal. We're all ears," he said.

Encouraged by the attention he was getting, he shuffled his feet, but kept his eyes on Toby. "Nicolai's got 'em. I saw 'is flunkies take 'em down over at the Shady Acres jus' a couple hours ago."

"Ya don't say?" Spike said. Bollocks, this was bad.

"Good riddance, that's what I say," Copper muttered, picking up his pint and draining it.

Toby sighed. "I tried to warn him. It's on his head, whatever happens."

"What's Nicolai want with 'em?" Spike asked, striving for a casual tone.

"Something to do with a ritual to make him virtually invincible," Toby said. The others looked at him skeptically. "That's what his recruiter told me. He promised me a sip of the Slayer's blood if I joined them." He shuddered. "Tempting, but it ain't worth the risk. I've heard stories of this Slayer and crossing Angel ain't healthy either."

Bowden glanced over his shoulder. "A sip of Slayer's blood?" He whistled softly. "Powerful stuff. No wonder Nicolai's got so many vamps to join him." The others looked at him inquiringly. "Not that I'm one of 'em. No siree, like Toby said, it ain't worth it."

Spike was racking his brain, trying to find a way to convince the others to help him. He didn't fancy going into Nicolai's lair alone—that would be suicide—but it was obvious this group wasn't overly burdened with courage. He needed to think of something that would outweigh their instinct for self-preservation. An overpowering stench told him Neville had approached him and he gave the odious little creature a dubious glance.

"You gonna 'elp 'em?" Neville whispered nervously.

Spike sighed. "Bloody hell, what do you take me for, some kinda wanker? It'd be suicide to go in with any less than a dozen blokes. Where am I gonna find that many?"

"Offer 'em a re-ward," Neville suggested.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Case ya didn't notice, I ain't exactly rollin' in dough here."

"Angel's got money," the snitch said conspiratorially. "Gave me a fiver las' time I saw 'im."

"Oooooh, a whole fiver?" Spike said sarcastically. Neville gave him a blank look. Obviously sarcasm was wasted on the dim little twit. Spike held onto his temper—barely. "It's gonna take a whole lot more than a few fivers to get these wankers to risk their necks for Angel, much less the Slayer." He fell silent as an idea occurred to him. It might just work, he thought. Throwing some money on the bar, he drained his drink and stood. "Thanks for the info, Nev. Have a pint on me." With that he was gone as Neville gathered the money up. He wasn't gonna waste a single copper on drinks. There was a supplier he knew that had some good quality blood he was just dying to taste. He left quickly, the Slayer and her lover forgotten in favor of satisfying his hunger.

A/N: That's it for now. Don't worry, I have loads of ideas for the next chappie, thanks to a brainstorming session with my friends, flyersfan and puppet. Please click that cute little 'GO!' button down there and feed musie.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The crypt that Nicolai had claimed was owned by a wealthy family, so it was pretty spacious, as crypts go. He had somehow procured a number of fine quality furnishings, an oriental rug, a large overstuffed couch and several chairs, and the space was lit with lanterns. Overall it was really quite cozy, for a crypt. Buffy and Angel didn't pay much attention to all that. They were more interested in taking a head count of the vamps in the room and scoping out possible escape alternatives. The head count was alarmingly high and the odds for escape alarmingly slim, much to their dismay.

They were dumped in the middle of the room, directly in front of Nicolai who was reclining in the most comfortable chair. "Welcome!" he said with a chuckle. "I want to thank you for burning down my last residence. It was quite drafty and overrun with rats. This is much more to my liking."

"As I recall, _you_ started that fire," Angel pointed out.

The vampire nodded slowly. "You're right, of course. But I wouldn't have been forced to do that if you hadn't invaded my home."

"Nice digs," Buffy said. "Where'd ya get all the stuff?" Not that she really cared, but maybe if they kept him talking he wouldn't notice that she was beginning to make some headway with her ropes.

Nicolai smiled and looked around. "Nice couple I had for dinner last night. They were kind enough to let me take anything I fancied." He chuckled. "Of course, they weren't really in any condition to object with their throats torn out, but all the same…." He sighed. "Unfortunately I didn't have room for everything. I had to leave a particularly fine cherrywood side board." Another sigh. "Ah, well, enough about my new home. This is exciting, don't you think? In just—" he glanced at his watch—"six hours and thirty-two minutes we'll open a vein on the Slayer and perform the ritual. And then…" he said, pausing for dramatic effect. "…after I'm rendered invincible, I will have your bonds removed," he said, nodding at Angel. "Then we'll find out if your reputation is exaggerated as I take you on in combat."

Nicolai's casual tone in mentioning Buffy's death nearly sent Angel into a blind rage. "Coward. Why don't you cut me loose now and I'll show you how I earned my reputation," he growled, his hands fisted behind his back as he struggled uselessly against his ropes.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Temper, temper, Angelus. I'm no fool. I'm well aware of my own limitations. I'm no match for you right now…physically anyway. But I am looking forward to seeing you in action once the ritual has been performed." He looked at Angel with a gleam in his eye. "Yes, it should be very entertaining," he said with a wicked smile.

Angel gave Buffy a sidelong glance as he felt her shift. Her eyes widened slightly and she gave the barest of nods, indicating that he should continue distracting their host. Angel turned his attention on the vamps stationed all around the room.

"I don't know what he promised you, but you should know your buddy Nicolai isn't known for his integrity." Angel was only guessing since he didn't know Nicolai.

His words caused a ripple of unease to run through the watching vamps. Nicolai snorted. "I only need a little of the Slayer's blood. The rest has been promised to them. And I fully intend on fulfilling my end of the deal," he said, completely unconcerned.

"Have any of you read the ritual in this book of his?" Angel persisted. "Maybe he's lying to you. Maybe he needs _all_ of her blood."

More shifting and the vamps started muttering among themselves, shooting suspicious looks at Nicolai. He sat up a little in his chair, looking around warily. "Pay no attention to him," he commanded. "He's just trying to turn you against me. Rest assured, you will get your reward." He turned his narrowed gaze on Angel. "If you persist, I will have you gagged. I am no longer amused."

Angel quirked a brow. "Too bad. I'm not here to amuse you." Buffy cleared her throat quietly beside him and he darted a glance at her. She was giving him a meaningful look. Ooops. He racked his brain for a new subject. "So, uh, how long you been a vampire?" he asked. He hid a sigh of relief as their host launched a long monologue on his favorite subject—himself. Angel shifted his weight occasionally, pretending he was trying to get comfortable, to distract from Buffy's surreptitious activities. They might get out of this yet.

Spike waited for the call to connect. Time was slipping away and he wasn't much closer to getting any help. Willow finally picked up. Spike quickly explained the situation.

"Oh…oh, that's bad," she said breathlessly. "Can't you do something?"

"Well, pet, that's where you come in. Any ideas pop into that brilliant noggin of yours?" he asked with strained patience.

"Oh…uh, yeah, that's why you're calling, isn't it? 'Cuz you already said you need help and there's nobody there…" she babbled, trailing off. "Wait! Uh, did you try Giles?" she asked, then went on without waiting for an answer. "Well, of course you didn't, 'cuz you didn't know he's in London visiting family, so you probably haven't—"

"Got a number for him?" Spike cut in. Her tendency to babble when she was nervous or upset really was irritating.

"Oh…sure, hang on," she said. She came back a moment later and read a phone number to him. Jotting it down, he tried to wind up the phone call.

"Thanks, pet. I'll let you know what happens."

"Wait! What if you…that is, you can't call if you're…uh…what I mean is, is there someone you can leave word with to call me if you—" she asked haltingly, getting more breathless by the minute.

Spike closed his eyes and counted to ten. "Don't worry 'bout me, Red. Thanks for the info." He hung up and quickly dialed the number Willow had given him. Moments later he was explaining the situation to Giles.

"Shady Acres you say? That's about an hour from here, more or less. How many vampires do you think there are?"

"Hard tellin'," Spike replied. "We need to gather as much help as we can, the more the merrier, if ya know what I mean."

Giles made a humming noise. "Yes, well, that's going to be the challenge. Can't call on the Watcher's Council…" he trailed off, deep in thought. "Let me make some phone calls and I'll get back to you," he said finally as something came to him. Spike gave him a number to ring him back and hung up. He hadn't sounded too optimistic, but Spike was fresh out of ideas, so he was willing to give the ex-Watcher a chance.

**A/N: I know, kinda short, but I needed to set up for the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading…now please click the little blue "GO" button and tell me what you thought—and that means you too, you lurky lurkers! Next chapter will be posted by next weekend.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait, everyone. I will reward your patience with a very long chapter. I hope you like it!**

Chapter 9

Spike was on his way back to the pub after talking to Giles again. The ex-Watcher hadn't been able to come up with anything, but he had agreed to meet him at the cemetery in two hours. So Spike had two hours to convince any vamps he could find to risk their necks to save the Slayer and Angel. He didn't think much of his chances, but he had to try. Cutting through an alley, he glanced behind him. He had had the uncanny feeling he was being followed for awhile, but he hadn't been able to spot his tail yet. Casually turning the corner, he suddenly flattened himself against the wall and waited.

When the slight figure appeared, he sprang, but his quarry spun and flipped him to the ground. She pinned him with a boot to his throat. "Hi, Spike," Faith said with a wicked grin.

"Faith," Spike gurgled. She lifted her boot, then put it down on his chest none too gently.

"Wanna tell me what you're doin' in London?" she asked.

He winced a little as her boot heel ground into his chest. "Awww, ya know, luv, takin' in the sights, visitin' old friends. You?"

"Following you," she said, still with the wicked grin. "One of the Slayers-in-training spotted you in Leningrad tailing Angel and called me. Didn't take me too long to catch up to you. Now," she said, her grin tightening into a grimace of irritation, "why…" heel grinding, "are…" and harder, "you…" and harder, "following Angel?" she gritted out between clenched teeth.

"Owww! Leave off, will ya?" Spike panted and the boot eased up a bit. "I was lookin' for Buffy! I knew the ponce'd lead me right to her."

"Now, what would you want with Buffy?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"Let me up and I'll tell ya," he said, hating being laid out and under her heel.

Glancing around the dark alley, she shrugged and complied. "Fine, but one wrong move and I'll dust ya. Don't much care if you are Buffy's pet…or whatever," Faith said, getting a firmer grip on her stake. She watched him warily.

Spike got up and took his time straightening his leather duster and brushing himself off. When Faith's patience had been pushed to the limit she made a threatening motion and he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, don't get your knickers in a twist." She put her hand, the one without the stake, on her hip and tapped her foot impatiently as he tried to decide what to tell her. He had a feeling she'd really rib him if she knew the true reason he'd been looking for Buffy. "I was…worried about her," he finally said. Faith frowned and he went on hastily. "I-I heard someone was after her and I wanted to make sure she was safe—"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "What, you didn't think Angel could keep her safe? Besides, you think she's gonna thank you for protecting her? Shit, if I know B, she'd kick your ass if she knew that was why you were skulking around London."

It was Spike's turn to snort. "That ponce couldn't fight his way outta a paper bag!" he said disparagingly. "He can't keep her safe like I could."

Faith narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "You're still lusting after her, aren't you?"

Spike stiffened. "What? No! She's made it clear she's done with me. Why would I waste my time—"

Faith cut him off with a hoot. "When are you gonna wake up, Spike?" He glowered at her and she went on callously. "Now that Angel's won his humanity back, ain't nothin' gonna tear those two apart—"

"Humanity?" Spike cut in incredulously. "Since when?"

Her brows shot up. "You didn't know? Well, that explains it then. Don't know how long ago it happened. All I know is he showed up in Rome a few weeks ago, lookin' for B. Told me the Powers had finally come through."

Spike's heart sank. Damn! Faith was right, no way could he compete with Angel now, with his humanity and no worry about losing his soul if they—damn!

Faith watched his face as his thoughts raced across it. She felt an unwilling sympathy well up and covered it in her usual way. "Now, don't take it so bad, Spike. You never had a chance with her and you know it. It's always been Angel for her."

"Stop tryin' to cheer me up, would ya?" he said sarcastically to cover his hurt. "Any more of that and I'll stake myself."

"Awww, don't take it so hard, Spike. I'm sure you'll find someone else. There's a lot of desperate chicks out there," she said callously.

"Are ya done?" he asked acidly. She made an effort to wipe the grin off her face. It wasn't any fun anyway. Kinda on the level of kicking a puppy. He spoke when he thought she was suitably sober. "Since you're here, you can help me save Buffy and Angel."

She straightened. That got her attention. "Save them?"

"Yeah, this vampire name o' Nicolai has them and he's gonna kill them at midnight," Spike said. "I was on my way to the pub I know where a lot of vamps hang to see if I could maybe get some help—"

She cut him off with a snort and a roll of her eyes. "Are you nuts? You think a buncha vamps are gonna risk their necks to save the Slayer? They're more likely to turn on us."

"Well, ya got a better idea? I haven't got much in the way o' non-demon connections, being a demon m'self."

She folded her arms and stared off into space for a moment. "Well, isn't Giles…?" she began.

"Already called 'im…he's gonna meet us at the cemetery in two hours."

She frowned thoughtfully. "He'll probably bring some of his cronies, if he can find any willing to stick their necks out." She fell silent as she racked her brain for ideas. Finally she sighed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to do the best we can," she said, looking him up and down. "Got any weapons?"

Spike rolled his eyes. He didn't like the sound of that. "You're gonna take on a nest of vampires with nothin' but an ex-Watcher and me? Are you outta your bloody mind?" he asked incredulously.

"You're not the first to ask me that," she said with a grim smile in anticipation of the violence to come. She hadn't had a good old kick-ass fight in a long time and she could feel her juices start to flow. This was gonna be fun!

Spike stared at her in amazement for another full minute, to no effect. Seemed the bird was actually savoring the prospect of a battle where the odds were stacked against them. He'd heard this Slayer was a bit on the reckless side. Guess he was about to find out if the stories were true. "C'mon then," he said. Shaking his head, he sighed and turned to lead the way to his lair. Might as well gather what weapons they could. How was it he always ended up on the underdog's side in these lopsided battles?

Giles slammed the phone down. "Brainless, cowardly, pompous ass!" he snarled, more frustrated than he could ever recall being. He had spent the past hour on the phone talking to every former Watcher he could find in the London area. All eight of them, _every single one_, had declined his pleas for help on the Slayer's behalf. Some claimed prior engagements, others sited the fact that they hadn't trained since the disbanding of the Council and therefore wouldn't be much help, and one of them…he took a deep breath, trying to control his anger at the last call. Weathersby had crisply told him that he had warned everyone who would listen that the Slayer's association with Angelus would end in disaster. Giles had argued that Angel wasn't Angelus, but to no avail. The twit's parting words still rang in his ears, causing him to clench his fists.

"Maybe next time people will listen when I give my opinion," Weathersby said in a self righteous tone. Giles wasn't normally a violent man, but if he had been face-to-face with the man, he would have pummeled him.

He glanced at his watch and got to his feet. He needed to gather his weapons in preparation. Taking a deep, calming breath, he took a moment to will the tension and anger out of his body, concentrating instead on the battle before him. They would just have to do the best they could. He hoped Spike had had more success than he had. If not, the odds were decidedly not in their favor and the chances of victory would be slim indeed.

They met at the entrance gate of the cemetery. Neville had agreed to lead them to the right crypt, but that was where he left them. Courage was definitely not one of his attributes, but Spike slipped him some bills and thanked him just the same. Without his information they wouldn't have known about Buffy and Angel's plight.

Crouching behind the same headstone Buffy and Angel had hidden behind earlier, the three held a strategy session, all the while scanning the darkness around them.

"How many vamps do you think there'll be?" Faith asked quietly. Her blood was humming with excitement and she kept tossing her stake, spinning it and catching it deftly. She was making Spike nervous.

He lifted a shoulder, eyes fastened on the spinning stake. "It's a pretty big crypt, but only so much room just the same. I'd say a dozen, give or take."

Giles sighed. He supposed it could be worse. "I don't like those odds. Any ideas on how to even them up a bit?"

"How about we cause a commotion and stake 'em as they come out?" Faith suggested.

Giles thought about that. "Yes, that might work," he said slowly, a grim smile stealing across his face. "Indeed, very good idea, Faith. We may just come out of this alive. Now, this is what we're going to do…Spike, you…"

Nicolai and his followers were entertaining themselves with a pair of humans who had been stupid enough to be caught in the cemetery after dark. Fortunately for the couple none of the vamps were really hungry at the moment, so they were only toying with them. The woman was sobbing uncontrollably, letting out a strangled scream every time one of the vamps made a move towards her. The man, who had begun his captivity by alternately begging and threatening their captors, had gone catatonic. He knelt next to the woman, head bowed, completely unresponsive, so he was pretty much ignored for now. Angel felt pity for them, but his immediate concern was freeing himself so he could protect Buffy. Unfortunately the vamp who had tied him up had been more skilled at tying knots than the one who had tied her up.

He felt her shift again and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She had a look of concentration on her face and Angel knew she was still working at her bonds. He didn't know how much progress she had made and couldn't check without calling attention to her. He just wished she'd hurry. There was no clock in the crypt, but Angel could tell by the heightened excitement in the room that midnight was getting close.

Nicolai was chuckling as he watched one of his minions, the one called Turk, take his turn at tormenting the woman. He had picked her up in his arms in a macabre parody of a dance, turning slowly with her. Every now and then he would bend his head and nibble a bit at her neck, causing her to scream again. The watching vamps, including Nicolai, howled with laughter as Turk grinned down at the hysterical woman, hiking her back up into his arms when her knees buckled and she slipped.

Buffy felt a flash of sympathy for the woman even as she worked at her ropes. She almost had the knot completely undone and she had to concentrate on keeping the grin of triumph from her face. She didn't dare look at Angel—she knew she'd lose it for sure if she did.

Suddenly there was a loud _bang!_ from outside. Nicolai's head jerked towards the door. "Samson, Vincent, go see what that was," he commanded. Two of the vamps went out and Nicolai chuckled. "Who wants to dance with her next?"

Another vamp stepped forward eagerly and Turk reluctantly handed the woman over. A fresh round of guffaws rang through the room as the woman was manhandled. Just as the laughter ebbed there was another loud _bang!_ from outside. Silence fell and Nicolai straightened, the first sign of concern crossing his face.

"Phineas, Draco, go see what happened," Nicolai snapped. The two vamps left reluctantly. The woman suddenly gave a shrill scream as the vamp who held her sank his fangs into her throat. "Stop that!" Nicolai roared, and the vamp jerked in surprise and dropped the woman. Clutching her throat, she lay in a heap where she landed and the vampire slunk into the shadows after throwing his leader a resentful look. A general muttering swept through the group and Nicolai scowled. "Silence!" he snapped and the sound stopped as though a switch had been thrown. The woman's sobs sounded unnaturally loud in the ringing silence.

Again there was a _bang!_ which sounded louder this time. Nicolai was starting to get really angry. "Faulk, Castor, Hix and…" Nicolai said, frowning at the fourth vampire and snapping his fingers as he tried to remember his name.

"Fester," the vampire mumbled reluctantly and Nicolai nodded absently, motioning towards the door. The four trooped out warily and Nicolai looked around at his quickly dwindling group of minions. Seven left. Whoever or whatever was out there couldn't possibly be taking out all of the vamps he had sent out, could they?

They were having no trouble at all taking out the vampires as they emerged two-by-two from the crypt. Spike and Giles were stationed on either side of the door, while Faith stood about ten feet away in full view. As the vamps barreled out the door, they tripped them and staked them before they even knew what hit them. Faith was grinning. Her spidey senses were vibrating like crazy and she was just itching to get in there and kick some vampire ass, but she knew they needed to thin out the numbers a bit first. With any luck there'd be enough left in there for her to beat up on.

Then four vampires emerged and her battle urge kicked into high gear. Taking on the lead vampire, she spun and kicked him in the head. Shaking his head, he roared his anger and came at her with his arms spread. Spinning again, she kicked him in the middle and he bent double with a _whoosh! _Following up with a series of jabs to his head, she crowed as he went down. Pulling out her stake, she dispatched him with a quick stab. She turned to help Spike.

Giles wasn't in as good shape as Faith, but he was holding his own against his adversary. It helped that the vampire he was fighting was only armed with a throwing axe, no match for the short sword he was wielding. The vampire's moves were broad and easily avoided, and Giles was able to bob and weave, wearing him out. As the vampire tired, he became careless and soon the former Watcher saw his opening. Swinging the axe overhead, the vamp left his middle wide open. Giles jabbed with the short sword, burying it to the hilt. With his other hand he pulled out his stake and dispatched the gasping demon with a sharp jab.

Spike was actually enjoying himself, even though he was under attack from two angles. It had been a long time since he'd done this, but the moves came back to him naturally. Spinning, he blocked a kick that would have rung his bell, then spun again, chopping at the vampire's neck with the flat of his hand. The vamp gurgled as his windpipe was damaged, but the other vamp moved in to deliver a series of sharp blows to Spike's midsection. Grunting as pain shot through him, he stepped back, drawing the vampire away from his compatriot, who had recovered and was moving in to attack again. Just in the knick of time Faith joined the fight, freeing Spike to concentrate on his attacker.

Smiling grimly, Faith started to taunt her opponent. "C'mon, ya little twit! I need a workout. Your bud over there didn't even make me break a sweat." She aimed a kick at his head which he blocked. Moving swiftly, he threw a punch which connected with her jaw and she shook her head to clear the stars from her vision. Moving aside just in time to avoid another roundhouse, she brought her stake around and stabbed at him, missing the heart. Roaring with pain, the vamp grabbed the stake and pulled it out, flinging it away.

"Uh-oh," Faith said with a grin. "Did that hurt? Sorry 'bout that. I'm kinda outta practice, so my aim is off a bit."

"I'm going to enjoy sucking you dry, Slayer," the vampire snarled, lunging at her recklessly.

Pulling out another stake, she stabbed and this time her aim was true. The vampire disappeared in a cloud of dust. "I don't _think_ so," she sassed. She turned just in time to see Spike dust the last remaining vampire. The three stared at each other, breathing heavily, identical smiles of victory on their faces. But they didn't have time to savor. They needed to get inside and finish the job.

Buffy was free. As the vampires surged toward the door in reaction to the sounds of battle coming from outside, she shifted to her side and tore at the ropes around her ankles. Keeping her movements small, she leaned towards Angel and started on his ropes. She almost had him free when one of the vamps turned his head and saw.

"Nicolai! The Slayer—" he shouted, cut off as Buffy picked up a piece of wood and staked him and he exploded into dust.

Nicolai was starting to panic. "Get her! If she gets away, we won't be able to do the ritual!" Some of the vampires obeyed, but three of them started sidling towards the door.

Angel finished untying the ropes himself as Buffy sprang into action. Kicking and punching, her limbs were a blur as she took on three of the vamps in the close quarters of the crypt. Free at last, Angel jumped up and started in on the other three, cutting off their escape.

Nicolai stood back, leaving the fighting to his minions, but the arrival of Faith, Spike and Giles forced him to join the fight at last. He pulled out a sword, but the small space didn't allow any room to maneuver, so he had to drop it. Drawing a long, slim dagger, he started waving it before him, backing into a corner.

"He's mine!" Angel shouted as Faith gripped her stake and moved towards Nicolai. She glanced toward Angel.

"I can take him," she shouted over the din.

Angel stepped in and staked one of the vamps. "I mean it, Faith. Leave him to me! He was going to kill Buffy!" Ducking a punch from one of the remaining vamps, he sidestepped to get closer to Faith. "Trade," he ordered, and she put her back to his and they switched places. Shrugging at the two vamps facing her, she grinned.

"Hey, whatev, I got two for the price of one," she said, giving them a beckoning gesture. With a roar they rushed her as one and she laughed as her blood rushed through her body, giving her the most amazing high. She would never tire of the headiness of battle.

Buffy was fighting a vampire that was more skilled than the others, so she had her hands full. The awareness that Angel was facing Nicolai without her didn't help her concentration any. Spinning, kicking, punching, she continued to fight even as she kept glancing toward the corner where the other pair were fighting. Her opponent took advantage of her distraction and delivered a quick series of punches to her middle, finishing with an uppercut to the jaw. She fell with a grunt and tried to get up.

Spike came to her defense just as the vamp was going to step in and finish her off. "A little off your game, luv?" he needled, blocking a punch and delivering one of his own.

"I was doing just fine," she retorted breathlessly as she sprang to her feet with more energy than she really wanted to exert. It wouldn't do for Spike to see how much she was hurt.

"Really?" he panted, ducking a swing and jabbing at his opponent's head. He grinned when the punch connected, snapping the vamp's head sharply to the right. "So, letting him use you for a punching bag was just a strategy?"

"Do you have a stake? Or are you just gonna pummel him all night?" she panted grumpily. He pulled out two and tossed one to her and the two of them set to work wearing the vampire out. Buffy finally got in a lucky shot and dusted him.

"I let you have that one," Spike said with a superior grin.

"Don't push your luck—I still have a stake," she said threateningly.

Spike's grin didn't dim a bit. He knew he had nothing to fear from her.

Faith and Giles had finished off the rest of the vampires and now they all turned to help Angel. Nicolai was quite skilled with the dagger and Angel was bleeding in several places, but none of his wounds were serious. Yet.

"Catch, Angel," Giles called, tossing his short sword. Angel caught it easily and turned to renew the fight.

Nicolai's back was to the corner and he parried Angel's strokes easily. "There's nothing to be gained by killing me," he said, hardly winded at all. "Your lover's safe now. Why don't you let me go?"

"Well, now, let me think about that…nope, sorry, don't think so," Angel said as he met each swipe of the dagger, watching for a weakness in the vampire's fighting style. "You'd just come after her again next full moon and I'm not gonna do this again."

"I'll leave her alone…I'll move to Madrid, Tokyo, Timbuktu…you pick," Nicolai said, starting to show signs of tiring.

"Quit fooling around, Angel," Faith said. She didn't understand why he didn't just get it over with.

"Finish him, babe," Buffy urged, afraid for her lover.

"If you let him go, you and Buffy will never be able to stop looking over your shoulder," Giles interjected reasonably.

"If ya don't wanna dust 'im, let me have a go," Spike said, itching to have a chance at the wanker who had threatened Buffy.

"I…said…he's…mine," Angel gritted out between clenched teeth.

Nicolai changed tactics. "Face it, Angelus. You're no match for me," he taunted foolishly.

"Shut up," Angel snarled. Nicolai was starting to panic and his parries were becoming more erratic. Several times Angel's sword strokes nearly connected. Then the point of his sword slipped past the vampire's guard and slid into his upper chest. Everyone froze in surprise and utter silence reigned for nearly a whole minute.

Angel pulled out the sword, then drew back his arm and with a mighty swing lopped the vampires head off. He turned his face away as dust rained around him.

Buffy ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, heedless of the blood soaking his shirt. Angel clutched her close and dropped his head to rest his cheek on her hair. Relief flooded him and he ignored the pain from his assorted wounds as she burrowed into his chest.

The others stood around awkwardly, drained now that the battle was over. Giles was the first to move, stepping forward to speak.

"Well done everyone," he said, looking around at them all.

Angel lifted his head and looked around at them as well. "Thank you, all of you."

"Don't mention it, big fella," Faith said with a grin. "It was fun."

Suddenly Angel straightened and released Buffy and started to check the cushions of the couch.

"D'ya lose somethin', peaches?" Spike asked.

"A book—he said he found the ritual in an ancient text," Angel muttered, continuing his search. They all joined in, but it was soon obvious there were no books in the crypt, not so much as a slip of paper. Buffy gave Angel a bleak look.

Giles looked around the crypt. "Well, maybe he borrowed the text and gave it back. Does it really matter now?"

Angel looked grim. "As long as that text is out there, there will always be the risk that someone else will find that ritual…we need to find it and destroy it."

Buffy went and slipped her hand in his. "Hey," she said softly to get his attention. He looked down at her, his look a little desperate. "We'll find it. Right now I need to bandage you up." He looked around again, trying to see if there was a niche somewhere they might have missed. He looked down at her again when she squeezed his hand. "C'mon, Angel. It'll be okay." Blinking at her stupidly, he finally nodded. Exhaustion was beginning to set in as the adrenalin wore off and he realized she was right. With a final grateful smile at everyone, the two lovers limped out.

Giles picked up the short sword and Nicolai's dagger. "Well, I suppose I will go as well. It was good to see…" he began, then realized who he was talking to. "Uh, take care."

"Yeah, see ya," Spike said, going over to study an urn in a niche. If he found the old book, maybe he could make some points with Buffy.

Faith waited until she was sure Giles was gone to make her move. Her blood was still humming with excitement from the battle and she needed to let off her steam. She'd always wondered what it would be like to do it with a vampire…

**A/N2: I didn't want to tell you before you read this, but I really struggled with the fight sequence. I guess I need to practice that more. Hope you enjoyed. Now, see the little blue button? Please click it and tell me what you thought. I will try to post the next chapter by Easter weekend—it's gonna have some F&S lovin' AND some B&A lovin', woo-hoo!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The book wasn't in, under or behind the urn. Spike brushed the dust off his hands and turned, startled to find Faith standing very close. She was looking at him oddly.

"Hey, luv, whaddya say you help me look for—" he began, only to be cut off by her lips. His senses came to screaming life as her tongue darted in to taste him. He groaned as her hands snaked up under his duster and groped his chest through his shirt. Her lips nibbled at his as she started working feverishly at his buttons.

Spike grabbed her wrists to stop her. "Whoa, hang on," he said, dizzy with arousal.

She struggled against his hold. "I got an itch, Spike, and you're just what the doctor ordered," she said with a lustful grin.

He stared at her like he'd never seen her before, stunned. She got one of her hands free and reached up and grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling his head down roughly. She nibbled at his mouth ravenously and he let go of her other hand in favor of exploring her curves. Uttering a sexy growl, she moved against him, reaching around to grab his butt. Lifting her left leg, she hooked it around him and pressed herself against his erection. Spike's hips jerked towards her, drawn by the moist warmth at her center. His hands stroked down her back to cup her shapely ass, pulling her harder against him, but it still wasn't enough.

She seemed to share his frustration. She pulled him over to the couch and pushed him down and he watched as she stripped quickly, her movements economical yet still oddly arousing. He reached for her when she was nude, but she slapped his hands away and reached for his belt buckle. She opened it with a deft click, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Spike watched her small firm breasts bob with every move and felt himself harden even more. She picked up one of his legs and put her back to him to pull off his boot, treating him to a view of her luscious behind. He was so distracted, he didn't even realize she had removed the other boot as well until she turned to face him again and bent to pull off his jeans and boxers. He shrugged out of his shirt and laid back to look at her.

Tossing his pants aside, she looked him over appreciatively, taking in the lean lines of his body. His cock was rock hard and when her eyes lit there and she licked her full lips, he nearly lost it right then. "What are you waiting for?" he growled impatiently. She smiled lasciviously and moved to straddle his legs, her hands on his chest.

"Just building the anticipation," she purred, reaching down to take him in her hand. Squeezing lightly, she moved her hand up and down his shaft, watching his face, clearly fascinated when his hips bucked and he sucked wind as he fought to control himself.

Pushed to the brink, Spike reared up and deftly flipped her under him. "Fuck anticipation," he growled. With a smooth thrust he impaled her, causing her to gasp with surprise. A moment later she rolled her hips, tilting them to take him deeper. Spike's jaw clenched as he struggled to hold back. It was too fucking soon. He wanted to make her beg, wanted her writhing and panting for release, but she was so hot and tight, it was taking all of his concentration not to come right then. He sank into her right up to the hilt and stopped, taking a deep, unneeded breath.

Her hands wandered over his leanly muscled body, exploring every slope and plane with exquisite attention. When one hand reached in to stroke his balls, he nearly howled with pleasure. His hips started pumping of their own volition and she matched his rhythm, stroke for stroke.

"Yeah, baby, fuck me," she panted, clutching at his buttocks and flexing her hips.

Spike looked down at her, mesmerized by her flushed face. He leaned down to kiss her, nibbling at the fullness of her bottom lip, then plunging his tongue in to explore the moist depths of her mouth. She growled with pleasure and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

Suddenly she gave a mighty heave, rolling them both off the couch to the floor so that she was once more on top. That wasn't his favorite position, but before he could rectify the situation, she sat up and started moving her hips. His hands stroked up her ribcage to cup her breasts, kneading and pinching her nipples, and he decided he liked this position after all. Then she leaned forward and presented her breast for him to suck.

'_Yeah, definitely my favorite now,'_ he thought as his hands squeezed her breasts together and he buried his face between them, licking first one and then the other nipple.

She was panting now, grinding away on top of him. She pulled back to kiss his jaw, then his neck, settling her mouth on his jugular. Then she bit him hard and his hips bucked. _Fuck!_ he thought, dazed, as he lost control. Nobody had done anything like that to him in a long time.

She rode him hard, milking every last drop out of him, eclipsing every sexual encounter he had ever had. Excitement pulsed through him as he continued to pump in and out of her, and it felt like every nerve in his body was pulsing with erotic pleasure.

Suddenly she stiffened and gave a strangled cry as she climaxed. Her inner muscles damn near killed him with their spasms as he plunged into her one last time.

As soon as the last tremor shook her body, she pushed off of him. He sat up, still dazed by the incredible intensity of their joining, and stared in disbelief as she rolled to her feet and started to pull on her clothes. She glanced at him as she zipped her pants. His look said he was taking her quick recovery personally.

"Sorry, lover, I'm not much of a cuddler," she said with a wry smile. "More of a fuck 'em and leave 'em kinda gal."

It took a moment for him to catch up to her words and actions. "Ya don't say?" he finally said, absently pulling on his shirt as he watched her dress as fast as she had undressed not long ago. Spike was insulted. Didn't she feel…?

She shrugged as she put on her bra, flashing him a sympathetic look. "Sorry, babe. I got one use for guys…" she said, then paused as a thought occurred to her, "okay, make that two 'cuz I'm not much for fixing shit. Dusting vamps always gets my juices going and I gotta let off steam. So, long story short, mission accomplished, wham, bam, thank you man and don't let the door hit you in the ass." She chuckled at her own quip, then picked up his pants and tossed them at him and turned to put on her shirt.

Spike stood to pull on his boxers and pants. "So, you're saying you wouldn't want a repeat?" he asked, trying to keep the injured tone out of his voice.

She smiled as she tucked in her shirt. "Are you kidding? Of course I would! I'd have to be nuts not to." She noticed the look on his face and stepped close to him as he buttoned and zipped his jeans. "Don't take it so hard, babe. You were great." He looked at her with a raised brow and she leaned up to kiss him, ending with a playful nip to his bottom lip. She pulled back to assess his reaction. "I mean it, you really rocked my world. I'm just not much for monogamy. Too many hot guys out there to tie myself to just one."

He forced a nonchalant shrug. "Hey, you don't owe me a damn thing," he said. He turned away to pick up his duster and put it on, hoping she'd drop the subject. She didn't need to know she'd done more than rock his world—she had spoiled him for anyone else.

Buffy unlocked the door and went in, closing and locking it again behind them. Shrugging out of her jacket, she turned to find Angel struggling painfully to shed his duster. She came to help him, concerned at how pale he was. He dropped to the bed and started unbuttoning his shirt and she sat beside him to survey his wounds. There were half a dozen flesh wounds that were already starting to close, but what had her worried was a deep gash across his ribs that was bleeding pretty heavily. He hissed with pain when she touched the area.

"Easy!" he whispered painfully. She went to get the first aid box, pushing away her worry. He'd be fine, what with the super healing and super strength. She just needed to patch him up and he'd be fine in no time. The thought that he might have been killed threatened to send her into a major wigging, so she ignored it.

Dabbing at his wounds with disinfectant, she glanced up at his face. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt so bad?" she murmured reproachfully.

"I didn't know," he muttered, hissing as the disinfectant stung.

She winced in sympathy and tried to be gentler. She covered the wound with gauze pads, then took out a roll of gauze to wrap around his middle. He lifted his arms, watching her as she concentrated on her task.

"You don't have any wounds?" he asked as she tied off the ends neatly.

She shrugged. "My ribs feel like hell, but I think they're just bruised…again." She knelt at his feet to take his boots off. The fact that he didn't object told her how bad he was hurting. He fell back on the bed.

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable with a little less clothing?" she asked with a smile. He made a faint noise of assent, but didn't move. Kicking her boots off, she shucked her slacks, then bent down to unbutton his pants. "Raise your hips," she ordered. After a moment he complied and she peeled the pants off. He rolled to his uninjured side and a moment later he was snoring. Buffy shrugged and lay down behind him, spoon fashion, snuggling into his back. She pulled the blanket up around them both and lay there enjoying his warmth.

She could have lost him today. The thought shook her to the core. After all they'd been through, and him finally winning his humanity, she hated to think about dealing with losing him again. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder blade and closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of him. Tears choked her, but she held them back for fear of waking him. He needed to rest, to heal, so he would be ready for the next threat they would face. Because she knew there would be a new threat. There always was. But they would deal with whatever came—together. The alternative—well, she didn't even want to think of the alternative.

Angel woke slowly. He was lying facing the wall. He could tell by the heat against his back that Buffy was pressed up against him. He didn't want to wake her, so he lay for awhile enjoying the feel of her blanketing him. But then he became intensely aware of her as her scent surrounded him and his cock came to attention. Reaching his left arm behind him, he found her hip and gently pulled her pelvis closer to nestle his ass. Her breath rushed over his skin as she sighed and pressed against him, beginning to wake.

Sliding his hand down her thigh, he pulled her leg up to lie on his hip, then trailed his fingers up the inside of her leg to tease the sensitive skin there. Her breathing hitched and he knew she was now fully awake. Then she started trailing kisses across his shoulder blade. She stopped when his fingers found her center, causing the knot of need to tighten almost painfully in her belly.

"Are you up for this?" she whispered breathlessly even as her hips gave a jerk and she shuddered.

Angel rolled to his back, turning his gasp of sharp pain into a chuckle. "Sure…see for yourself," he said, guiding her hand to his cock. She stroked him slowly, leaning in to kiss his jaw.

"Mmmm, yeah, baby, definitely up," she murmured appreciatively.

"Always for you, Buffy," he panted as her fingers grazed the tip of his cock. He reached down to pull her leg across him, then stroked up to her hip, pushing on her other hip to get her into position. She moaned as he drove himself deep, then froze at his gasp.

"You okay?" she asked, looking down at him with concern. She would stop if necessary. Nothing was worth causing him more pain.

Pain was coursing through him, but the pleasure of being inside her was stronger. It ebbed as he stayed still. "Maybe you better do most of the work," he finally managed to say. Buffy hesitated, but his hands on her hips were urging her to move and it felt so good, she couldn't stop herself from moving on him slowly.

"Stop me if I'm hurting you," she said softly, stroking her hands down his strong forearms.

"At this point, stopping might just kill me," he said through gritted teeth, followed by a breathy moan. Her slow pace was driving him crazy, but he was helpless to do anything about it. She leaned forward, bracing herself on the bed on either side of him to get better leverage. She gradually increased the tempo, watching his face for signs of pain. His eyes locked with hers, the intensity in them stealing her breath away.

His hands cupped her breasts, wishing he could give them the attention he wanted to. He satisfied himself with palming them and rolling her nipples between his long fingers. She suddenly keened and her internal muscles clenched him strongly. He gritted his teeth, holding off until she had reached the pinnacle of her release, then his hips jerked strongly as he came hard. His hoarse cry was a combination of pain and pleasure.

Buffy lay down beside him, her heartbeat and breathing slowly returning to normal. He hadn't moved and she was beginning to get concerned. "Baby?" she whispered, aware that he wouldn't stand for any more coddling from her, but still needing some reassurance.

"I'm fine, Buffy," he said, turning his face towards her.

"Good," she said with a little smile. A moment later a small frown marred her brow. "Promise me something?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"Anything," he murmured.

"You'll be careful…I mean, I know you're always careful, of course I know that, but you'll be full of carefulness now…for me, won't you?" She hated the whine in her voice, but she couldn't help it. Losing him now just might be the end of her.

He reached out to touch her cheek in the dimness and found it damp with tears. "Oh, baby, don't worry. I've waited several lifetimes to be with you…no way I'm gonna be careless with this gift."

She caught his hand and drew a shaky breath, bringing his fingers to her lips. Kissing them, she smiled. "Gift…I like that," she said. "A gift for both of us, for all the years of sacrifice…" She trailed off. "Angel?" she asked, and his heart caught at the fear in her voice.

"Yes?"

"What if it doesn't last? What if they change their minds and take it away? I don't think I could handle that." Her voice broke on the last word, bringing a lump to his throat.

Angel turned on his side to face her. Her face was a pale blur in the soft light from the lamp on the desk and her eyes were wide. "Let's just take one day at a time, okay?" he replied. He knew she wanted some kind of guarantee, but he honestly couldn't give her one. "Don't let worry ruin it for us."

She sighed. "You're right," she said, curling up against him once more. Angel pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. She didn't need to know he shared her fear.

Faith shrugged into her jacket. Spike had resumed his search and she decided to cut the guy a break. "It's under the couch," she said helpfully, turning for the door.

"How do you know?" he asked even as he reached a hand under the couch to feel around. He crowed in victory as he pulled a thin dog-eared tome out.

She glanced back with a wry smile. "Spotted it when we were going at it. Didn't wanna spoil the mood by mentioning it." She watched him open the book and glance at the pages. "You're welcome," she hinted.

He looked up with a grin. "Buffy's gonna go nuts when she sees this!" he said triumphantly.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Still ain't gonna get you anywhere with her," she pointed out cruelly.

He slammed the books shut and glared at her. "That isn't why I'm gonna give it her. It needs to be put in a safe place and I figure she'll know what to do with it."

Another eye roll. "Right…whatever you need to tell yourself, lover. Just tryin' to save ya some heartache."

"Ya gotta rub it in?" he snapped. She gave him a withering look and he sighed. "I get it, okay? I know I haven't got a chance with 'er. I just…can't help wantin' her to look at me at least once more like I mean somethin'," he confessed unwillingly.

Faith's lips twisted, but there was sympathy in her eyes. "Yeah, she has a way of doin' that to ya," she said wryly. "So, I gotta go. Look me up if you're ever in Rome, okay?"

Spike forced a casual shrug. "Sure, pet. See ya," he said to her back and then she was gone. He tucked the book under his arm and looked around one last time. Somehow he expected there to be some evidence of the earth shattering event that had taken place there, but it looked like any other crypt he'd ever been in, aside from the furniture. _Bloody fool_, he thought, then he turned and left. He'd deliver the book to Buffy, then maybe see about packing what little he had and checking out available flights. He had a sudden yen to see Rome.

**A/N: Well, how was that? Hmmmm? Click the little blue button and tell musie. There is probably just one more chapter left. I want to thank everyone for the great feedback on this fic. You guys totally rock!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Neville watched from the shadows outside the crypt as the Slayer left with Angel. He smiled as excitement swept through him. Nicholai was history, the twit. Kow-towing to that preening peacock had just about made him sick. The only way he had been able to do it was by keeping his ultimate goal in mind. Now he just had to wait for the other Slayer and Spike to leave so he could get into the crypt and complete the ritual.

His legs started to cramp so he shifted positions. _What was takin' them so bloody long?_ He wondered irritably. He knew there was only the one entrance to the crypt, so there was no way they'd gotten out another way. That meant they were doing something in there. Just as he decided to creep closer, the door to the crypt opened and the dark Slayer stepped out. He could smell sex on her as she passed just a few feet from his hiding place and suddenly he knew what they'd been doing.

_Imagine that! A vamp and a Slayer shaggin'! If that don't beat all,_ he thought. Then he remembered Angel and his little Slayer. Okay, so maybe not so unusual after all, but still, odd.

A moment later Spike came out with the book under his arm. Neville didn't care about that…he had the ritual memorized, so he didn't need the book. Maybe if they had it, they'd leave him be long enough to do the deed. He almost crowed out loud as he thought of their reactions when it was done. With the Slayer's powers, he'd be damn near unstoppable!

Spike lifted his fist to knock but stopped just short of connecting. He knew they were there—he could _feel_ them. Well, he could feel _him_ anyway, always could. His connection to his grandsire had always been pretty strong. But what had him shifting from foot to foot was the fact that he didn't want to catch them in the middle of shagging. Bad enough he had to lose her to the pouf, he didn't need the mental image of them going at it to add to his shame. He pressed his ear against the door, trying to hear something, anything, that might give him a clue what they might be doing. Was that a moan? He pressed harder, straining to hear. There was whispering and then another moan.

He considered leaving the book there in front of the door. It was wrapped in brown paper, so nobody would know what it was, and it wasn't like there was much traffic in this place. He sighed and shook his head, discarding the idea. He didn't want to take the chance. Finally, when it came down to leaving with the book or just bleedin' knocking, he reached out and knocked hard, three times.

He heard creaking of bedsprings and rustling and then the door opened a couple inches and Angel peeked out. "Spike? What do _you_ want?"

Spike looked up and down the hall. "Let me in, ya wanker. I got something you want."

Heavy sigh. "I doubt that," he said, but he opened the door anyway. Spike slipped in and the door was closed and locked behind him. He gave Angel a once over, taking in his bare feet and equally bare chest. He supposed he should be glad he had pulled on his trousers before answering the door.

Buffy blinked at him from the bed. Her hair was tousled and her lips were swollen and Spike tried to ignore the smell of sex that permeated the air. He told himself he didn't care. When he held out the package to her, Angel took it before she could raise a hand.

"What is it?" she asked huskily as Angel tore off the wrapping.

Spike shrugged casually. "Nicolai's book. I found it in the crypt after everyone left."

When she smiled at him he allowed himself a fleeting moment of fantasy…that she loved him after all and she'd leave soddin' Angel to come away with him. Then the old pouf spoke and blasted the fantasy to oblivion.

"That's a relief. You know what this means, babe?" he asked her with a smile. "You're safe now. Free to go with me."

Spike shifted awkwardly, unsure what he should do now. He hadn't thought past getting the book delivered to her safely.

Buffy smiled and looked from Angel to Spike. "Thanks, Spike. You're a good friend." There was a long pause as everyone searched for something to say. Buffy was trapped in the bed by her nakedness and Spike's presence.

"Well, I guess I'll…go now," Spike said finally.

"What are your plans?" Buffy asked, hiking the blanket up higher.

Spike gave her a wry smile. "I hear Rome's nice this time of year. Think I'll go see what's doin' there."

"Oh, okay, well…take care," she replied with a fond smile.

"Yeah, keep in touch," Angel said generously.

Spike shifted as though to go, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her lovely face. Angel walked to the door and unlocked it, opening it a bit in silent invitation.

Spike gave a slight nod and turned and forced himself to walk over to Angel. "Take care of her," he said low for Angel's ears alone, and Angel raised a brow at the veiled threat in his tone.

"Don't worry, I will."

Spike darted one last glance her way, then slipped out. He'd had enough torture for one day. He strode down the hall, his steps purposeful. He didn't need her. It wasn't like she was the only Slayer in the world. Hope rose as he remembered Faith's parting words. He'd go to Rome and see if he could tame the wild Slayer. Even if he couldn't, he'd have one hell of a time trying.

Angel turned from locking the door and looked at his lover. She had a pensive look on her face and for a fleeting moment he thought she regretted staying with him.

"He's still in love with you."

She sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know. He'll get over it." Angel stood there, fighting a surge of jealousy. She rolled her eyes. "You can just get over it too, okay? I never loved him, not like I love you." He came to the bed and she rose to her knees. The blanket dropped as she reached for him. Catching her close to him, he buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes. Her lips kissed his collarbone, making their way up his neck and finally stopping at his ear. "I kinda like jealous Angel though," she whispered teasingly.

Tightening his arms around her, he dropped to the bed and pulled her on top of him. "I am _not_ jealous of that little twerp."

She sat up astride him and shrugged, causing her breasts to bounce. "Deny it all you want. We both know you are, but it's okay. Just don't let it get outta hand. I'm with you, right where I've always wanted to be." Her hands stroked up his ribs to rest on his pecs and she wriggled her bottom against his middle. The distraction worked as his eyes darkened and he forgot about his jealousy as desire for her demanded all of his attention.

Lightning quick, he flipped her under him, propping himself up on his elbows. His hands framed her face and he looked at her tenderly. "Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" he asked softly, a smile playing around his lips.

Her eyes, slumberous with desire, gazed up at him and his breath caught as her beauty struck him anew. She smiled, a slow, sexy smile. "You were about to show me how long you could hold out on me. And I…" she said huskily, leaning up to nibble at his lips, "was going to show you how quick I could make you lose it."

His senses spun and he took a shaky breath, bracing himself for the torture to come. Her hands stroked down his sides and around to grab his tush, pulling him tight against her pelvis. She put her legs around him, trying to make the connection, but he held back. Not yet, he told himself. It was too soon.

Moving down her body, he kissed his way down one breast to capture the trembling peak. Her breath hitched and she squirmed as he rolled her nipple against the roof of his mouth, sucking hard. Her hands came up of their own volition to tangle in his hair and she panted, making those adorable whimpers that always drove him crazy. When she started pulling at his hair, he kissed his way over to the other breast and gave it the same tender loving attention. She writhed against him, her hips pressed against his belly, and he fought the urge to take her right then. It was too soon.

Releasing her nipple, he kissed his way down her torso, moist, open-mouthed kissed that stole her breath. Her hands were becoming frantic, running over his shoulders and head as though desperate to find the secret touch that would make him lose control and put them both out of their misery. As his lips reached her navel, he captured her hands and held them down on the bed on either side of her hips. He nibbled his way on down, stopping to nuzzle the curls at the apex of her thighs. She suddenly went still as his intent became clear. Her hands fisted against the sheets and she shifted, her legs splaying to offer herself up to his talented mouth.

The first tentative touch of his tongue brought her hips up off the bed and a ragged cry tore from her lips. He paused just a moment to look up at her. Head thrown back, mouth open as she panted, she was the loveliest thing he'd ever seen. He dropped his head and ran his tongue down her folds, delving into her sweetness and wringing a strangled moan from her. His lips fastened on her clit, alternately sucking and nuzzling as her hips began to move. He darted his tongue into her vulva and nearly lost it as her inner muscles clenched around it.

Suddenly she screamed and tore her hands free. Grabbing his head, she dragged him up her body and wrapped her legs around his hips. With a shout he drove into her, stopping as he reached her center. She began to move strongly, forcing him to begin moving, in and out, faster and faster. He surrendered to her rhythm, pumping strongly, surely, bringing them ever closer to the summit. His lips captured hers as he felt the first strong wave hit her, and his tongue swept in to explore the soft depths of her mouth.

As though the pleasure was too sharp, too intense, she tore her lips away from his and let out a keening wail, raising the hair on his nape. She strained hard against him, grinding her pelvis against his, sending him over the edge. With a hoarse shout he came, wave after wave of ecstasy washing over him, seemingly without end.

All of a sudden Angel froze as he sensed a change in her. Her body had suddenly gone boneless. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked down at her.

Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was shallow. His heart seized. My God, had he killed her?

"Buffy? Are you okay, babe?" he asked urgently.

For a long, agonizing moment she didn't answer, didn't stir. His shaking hands brushed the hair back from her face. Her eyes fluttered open, a frown between her brows.

"Baby?" he whispered.

"It's gone." Her voice was thready, a fraction of its usual strength.

"What is?"

"My…my powers…they're gone," she said with a sob in her voice.

**A/N: I know, I know, I made you wait, like **_**forever**_**, and now this! I want to thank angelsblueeyedgirl (aka Jenna) for the awesome plot twist idea. You are the Queen of Plot Twists, honey! I was gonna just wrap this baby up with this chapter, but she and her musie went bonkers and **_**voila**_**! We have a whole new interesting tangent. Luv ya, sweetie! So now, what I need you to do is click the little blue button and feed the musie, 'kay? I can't make any promises, but I will do my best to crank out the next chappie in a week. Thanks so much for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Okay peeps, here it is at last. I know, I know, it's been freakin' forever, and I am SO sorry! Musie has been so stingy with the inspiration lately. This is dedicated to and a huge THANK YOU to my best bud, angelsblueeyedgirl. This chapter def wouldn't have been written, nor would it be any good without her awesome input. Love ya bunches, jenna!**

_**Recap: When we left our lovers, Buffy had just lost her Slayer's powers when Neville performed the ritual. Now we're gonna watch them deal with the aftermath and how they figure out who done it and how to reverse it. Hope y'all enjoy!**_

Neville surged to his feet, exultant, as the power raced through him. "Yes!" he shouted, grinning and raising his arms triumphantly. "Nobody can stop me now!" He brought his hands down and flexed them in front of his face, laughing maniacally.

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Angel bent over Buffy's limp form, frantic with fear. "Buffy! What's wrong?" She didn't stir and his heart seized. Was she dead? He laid his head on her chest and was relieved to hear the faint beat of her heart. Sitting back up, he took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. "Buffy! Wake up!" Her head rolled on the pillow and a frown creased her brow and he waited anxiously. Finally her lashes fluttered and she peered up at him.

"Angel?"

"Yeah, baby, I'm here."

"What happened?"

"That's what I was going to ask you."

The frown intensified and her eyes became unfocused as she searched her memory. "I'm not sure…all of a sudden I felt so weak. Like my powers are gone." There were tears in her eyes when they came back to him. "It's like they just drained away."

"Maybe you're just tired. That was a hell of a battle we just went through—"

"No, this is different. I can usually feel the Slayer's strength, like, _pulsing_ in me, but it's just—gone." She sat up suddenly and Angel made a move to stop her.

"Maybe you should rest—"

Glaring at him, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I'm not sick. I just need to—whoah," she said, sinking back as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Angel caught her and eased her back down on the pillow. "Maybe I'll just lay here for a minute, wait for the room to stop spinning."

Angel watched her closely, deeply concerned. He remembered another time he had seen her like this, weak and so strange. That time she had been poisoned. He sensed this was different somehow. He straightened as a startling thought came to him.

"The ritual."

"What?"

"Nicolai's ritual was supposed to take your powers."

Buffy frowned, struggling to keep up with his logic. "But we killed Nicolai and we have the book."

"I know, but don't you think it's strange that you've suddenly lost your Slayer strength almost right after we won the battle?"

"You think someone made a copy of the ritual?" She was feeling a little stronger but lay still, hoping her Slayer strength would return. A part of her feared it never would.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. We need to find Giles. Maybe he can do some research, find a way to reverse it."

"Right. Research. When in doubt, research." She lay still thinking for a moment while Angel wondered where Giles might be staying. "Angel?" softly, hesitantly. His eyes focused on her. "Wh-what if we can't get them back?"

He leaned down to kiss her gently. "We will, don't worry."

His eyes were steady and her confidence was bolstered by his calm assurance. There may have been a time she would have been glad to be shed of her powers, but she'd gotten used to them. Living without her Slayer powers just didn't bear thinking of.

Both stiffened at a sudden sharp knock at the door. "Who knows about this place?" Angel whispered.

"Nobody but you and Spike."

Another knock sounded as Angel got up to see who it was. He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. "Who is it?"

"It's Faith. Open up!"



Shooting a surprised look at Buffy, Angel unlocked the door. Faith slipped in as soon as he opened the door.

"Are you okay?" she asked Buffy without preamble.

Buffy rose to one elbow. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to the airport when this weird feeling came over me, like I knew something was wrong with you. Your powers are gone, aren't they?"

Buffy and Angel exchanged a look of surprise. "How did you know?" Buffy asked.

Faith shrugged. "Dunno. Like I said, it was just a feeling, like I felt your powers drain away."

Angel sat down on the edge of the bed. "Maybe there's some kind of mystical connection between you two. I mean, there's never been two Slayers at the same time before. Could be that created a special bond. Have you ever experienced anything like it before?"

"I've always felt connected to B," Faith said thoughtfully. "Like, I dunno, I could sense stuff."

Buffy was studying Faith intently. "I've felt it too. It's hard to describe, but it's kinda creepy."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad you're here," Angel said. "I need you to find Giles."

"Giles? How the hell would I know where he is? For all I know he's on a plane headed for the States."

"Please, Faith, you have to try. Somebody performed Nicolai's ritual and took Buffy's powers. We need him to figure out how to help Buffy. I'd go myself, but I don't want to leave her and I don't think it would be safe for her out on the streets."

Buffy straightened and made a sound of protest, but they were ignoring her.

Faith sighed. "Fine. Where should I look?"

Just then there was another knock. "Not much of a hideout. More traffic here than downtown L.A.," Angel grumbled. "Who is it?"

"Spike, lemme in."

Angel rolled his eyes, but he opened the door in spite of his misgivings.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asked grumpily.



"Saw Faith headed this way and thought I'd have a look-see, find out what was up." He grinned as he looked around. The scent of sex lay heavy in the air and he cocked an eyebrow at Faith, wondering if he might have interrupted something. Nah, they hadn't had time for that, but that meant Buffy and Peaches had been going at it, and recently too, if his nose was any judge. His smile faded and he shuffled his feet awkwardly.

Faith folded her arms, irritated that Spike seemed fixated on Buffy in the bed. "I think you just wanted another shot at B," she muttered darkly, fuming. Spike looked at her in surprise. Was that jealousy? he thought hopefully. She glared at him.

"Hey, Spike can help you find Giles," Buffy suggested, ignoring the other Slayer's jibe.

Angel suppressed a sigh of relief. Any plan that involved getting Spike out of their hair _and_ allowing him to stay with Buffy was a great plan as far as he was concerned.

"Yeah, and after you've brought Giles up to speed and set him on the researching you can check out the demon underground. We need to know who took her powers. See if you can find out who might be throwing their weight around, you know, showing a big change in behavior."

Faith snagged Spike's arm on her way to the door. "C'mon, Billy. We got an ex-Watcher to track down."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You think Giles is at the crypt?" Spike asked doubtfully as they approached the graveyard.

"No, but I want to check something out. I got a hunch whoever did the ritual did it in the crypt."

The place looked just like it had when they left it hours ago. Spike looked at the couch where he had had the most mind-blowing sex with the most amazing woman he'd ever met. She seemed oblivious to his mood, stalking over to the brazier that stood in a corner. A thin stream of smoke rose from the coals.

"Someone's been busy here," she murmured. "Wonder where he got Buffy's blood?"

"Over here," he called, going over to a dark stain on the floor. Faith came and hunkered down beside him as he went on. "This was where they had her tied up. She must have been bleeding a lot."

Something in his voice, concern maybe?, got to Faith. The guy needed a reality check, big time. "When are you gonna face facts? She's never giving up Angel, especially now that he's human again. Might as well stop mooning over her."



"What do you know about it? Besides, she ain't the one I'm mooning over," Spike replied meaningfully.

Faith raised her brows at him. "Don't waste your time, fang boy. I told you, I'm not a one man—or vamp—woman. So if it's me you're mooning over, get over it."

He opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off. "Look, can we talk about your weird tendency to jones for Slayers some other time? Right now we need to figure out which scum bag did this to B."

Spike fumed impotently, distracted by her nearness. He could still smell himself on her. Desire swept through him and he briefly considered grabbing her and kissing her 'til she begged for mercy. Then she stood up and he pushed the urge away. Her prickly manner told him sex was the furthest thing from her mind. But he wasn't deterred. Now that she was hanging around a bit longer, another opportunity could come up later. If it did, he'd definitely be up for it. Yep, he and the dark Slayer definitely had some unfinished business, and he was gonna do his damnedest to see it taken care of.

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Giles was at his lodging reading when a knock came at the door. He frowned and glanced at his watch. It was too early for the cab. He still had three hours before his flight left. Laying the book aside, he got up and went to the door, peering through the peephole. For a moment he considered not opening the door, knowing the pair that stood out there had brought trouble. He sighed, accepting the bald fact that he wanted to know what had brought them here. He disengaged the chain and opened the door partway.

"Yes?" he said wearily, hoping his attitude might discourage them.

"Hey, Mr. G. Can we come in?" Faith asked, glancing up and down the hallway like she thought they might have been followed.

Giles sighed and stood aside. Faith and Spike came in and he pushed the door shut behind them.

"Thought you'd have gone by now," said Spike. "Got any beer?"

"No," the Watcher replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Angel sent us. Somethins wrong with B."

Giles frowned. "Wrong? I didn't think her wounds were that serious."



Faith perched on the arm of the couch. "She's weak as a kitten. Angel thinks someone may have done the ritual."

Spike was crouched in front of the minibar, examining the contents. "Yeah, she collapsed when they were shaggin'—"

Faith cleared her throat loudly and Spike looked over his shoulder. "What?"

"Angel didn't say that—"

"He bloody well didn't need to. I got a nose. Smelled the sex soon as we walked in—"

"Can we stick to the facts?" Giles cut in. He really didn't need any more details regarding Buffy and Angel's intimate relationship.

"Anyway, Angel thinks someone may have copied the ritual and done it," Faith said, rolling her eyes at Spike.

Pulling out a handkerchief, Giles started cleaning his glasses, a frown creasing his brow. "They would have needed some of her blood."

"That's easy," Spike said, selecting a mini Jack Daniels and twisting off the cap. "We went by the crypt before we came here. Guess the Slayer bled quite a bit, right in that spot they had her tied up at." Upending the bottle, he drained it in one gulp. Dropping it, he reached for another.

"You're paying for those," Giles said sternly.

Spike rolled his eyes and put the Southern Comfort back. "Spoil sport," he muttered.

"So, we were thinkin' you could do your research deal and come up with a counter spell to save the day," Faith said.

Giles brows rose and he put his glasses on. "Well, I don't have many of my books with me, but I do have a colleague I could call on. Did you bring the text with you?"

Spike smiled, stood up and pulled the book from an inside pocket of his duster, handing it to Giles.

"Where is Buffy now?"

Spike snorted. "Peaches didn't think it was safe to take her out, weak as she is. So they're stayin' put, snug and safe in their little nest. Ya ask me, it's just an excuse for some more shaggin'."

Giles frowned at him but decided to ignore his inappropriate comment. "Give me a few hours and I'll see what I can find."

Faith stood and headed for the door. "Right. While you're doing that, we gotta see if we can find the scum bag that did this. C'mon, Spike. I'm sure you know a pub or two where we can squeeze someone for info."

"How will we find you?" Spike asked.

"We'll meet at Buffy's place. Where is she staying?"

After giving him directions, they left, heading for a nearby pub that was a well-known demon hangout. Spike walked tall, allowing himself to fantasize that they were on a date. Her arm brushed his as they walked and his libido kicked up a notch. Whatever happened, they were definitely going to have another go, if he had anything to say about it. Faith walked beside him, alert for any danger, blissfully unaware that he was plotting her seduction.

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Tobias opened his door and gave his visitor a weary look. "What is it now, Neville?"

Neville had to force himself to maintain his sniveling, cowering persona for the moment. "Angel sent me. Said 'e needs to meet wi' ya."

Tobias turned from the door. "What does he want now? I've helped him all I can."

Neville lifted his right hand and struck with the stake, swift and sure. Tobias disappeared in a shower of dust. "Guess 'e'll 'ave ta get 'elp elsewhere," Neville said with a cruel twist of his lips. "I'm through cow-towin' to the likes o' you."

Looking around the tidy apartment, Neville smiled. This'll do, he thought, pleased with himself.

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**A/N2: Well, what did you think? I hope you liked. Now, click the little blue "GO" button and tell me. I think part of the reason musie's been so miserly with the inspiration lately is the sad lack of reviews. I mean, sheesh, 135 people have me on author alert and I only hear from a small fraction of you! So please don't be stingy…this obsession of mine doesn't come with a paycheck and the reviews are the only pay I receive.**


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